


the final rose

by emerqlds



Category: Bachelor - Fandom, Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Atsumu Is Whipped, Awkward Flirting, Bachelor AU, Bad Flirting, Bad Puns, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Bruises, Character Development, Comfort, Crying, Cute Hinata Shouyou, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone wants a piece of Hinata, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hickeys, Hinata Harem, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Hinata Shouyou is a Little Shit, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Jealous Kenma, Kageyama is Whipped, Kozume Kenma is Bad at Feelings, Kozume Kenma is a Tease, Lots of Crying, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nishinoya Yuu & Tanaka Ryuunosuke are Bros, Panic Attack, Panic Attacks, Personal Growth, Pining, Pining Iwaizumi Hajime, Pining Kageyama Tobio, Pining Kozume Kenma, Pining Kuroo Tetsurou, Pining Miya Atsumu, Pining Sakusa Kiyoomi, Possessive Behavior, Soft Sakusa Kiyoomi, Triggers, bachelor hinata shoyo, characters are aged up, every hinata ship ever, osamu eyeliner agenda 2020, stylist kiyoko shimizu, ushijima redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 32,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25771891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emerqlds/pseuds/emerqlds
Summary: When Hinata signed up for The Bachelor, he had no intentions of actually being on the show.  He just wanted to please his mother!  When he received a phone call from the television network saying he is the new bachelor, he doesn't know what to think.Twelve suitors.  One bachelor.  Who will win Hinata's heart?
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Akaashi Keiji/Hinata Shouyou, Bokuto Koutarou/Hinata Shouyou, Hinata Shouyou & Nishinoya Yuu & Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Hinata Shouyou & Shimizu Kiyoko, Hinata Shouyou & Ukai Keishin, Hinata Shouyou & Yachi Hitoka, Hinata Shouyou/Everyone, Hinata Shouyou/Iwaizumi Hajime, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Hinata Shouyou/Kuroo Tetsurou, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Osamu, Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru, Hinata Shouyou/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Hinata Shouyou/Terushima Yuuji, Hinata Shouyou/Ushijima Wakatoshi, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 110
Kudos: 574





	1. new beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> hello hello!
> 
> I was just chilling when the idea for a hinata bachelor au popped into my head lmao
> 
> I am anticipating this to be pretty long, so bear with me haha
> 
> enjoy :)

**THE FIRST GAY BACHELOR? INTERVIEW WITH HINATA SHOYO!**

Karasuno TV network recently announced the new bachelor for this year's season: 25 year old Hinata Shoyo. Hinata is the first gay bachelor to be featured on the show. We asked him his thoughts on the whole thing:

_Hey Hinata! How's it going?_

H: I'm doing great, thanks for asking! To be honest, I'm a little nervous though *laughs*.

_Don't be nervous! I'm sure you'll do great!_

_We heard that you are going to be the bachelor this coming season. Are you excited?_

Hinata: I'm pretty excited! It's kind of crazy... 

_I'm sure it is! Why did you audition for The Bachelor?_

H: Well, if I'm being honest, it was because of my mother. She kept telling me about how she wanted me to settle down and start a family. She's a huge fan of the show, and so she told me to audition. The rest is history! *grins*

_Well it seems that we have your mother to thank for you being here today! *chuckles*_

H: I guess so!

_Do you think you'll find your soulmate?_

H: I hope so. Even if I don't, I'm confident I'll meet some amazing people and form new friendships! I don't want to set my expectations too high. 

_That's an excellent mindset to have. Now, last question: how do you think fans are going to like this season?_

H: First off, I'm glad that Karasuno TV has become more inclusive by featuring members of the LGBTQ+ community. I'm very grateful for this opportunity. As for the fans, I think they will love this season. A lot of new concepts and themes are being introduced. 

_The fans will love you Hinata, I'm sure of it!_

H: *smiles* I hope so.

_And that's it for today! Thank you so much for your time Hinata, and good luck on your journey!_

H: Thanks for having me!

In this new season, twelve male suitors will fight for Hinata's attention. Will Hinata Shoyo find love? The Bachelor season 24 premieres on June 24 on channel 10.

\--------------------------------

 **The Bachelor** @officialbachelor ~ 14 min ago

We would like to announce Hinata Shoyo as this season's newest bachelor! Hinata is 25 years old, and he works as a therapist. He and twelve suitors will enter the mansion next week! Catch the premiere on June 24!

Hinata's interview: https;//karasunotv.com/hinata-shoyo-interview

14k comments | 100k retweets | 231k likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~13 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

omg omg omg omg I love him

2 comments | 16 retweets | 85 likes

**a** @shosho7 ~11 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

he's so fine... good lord i am ASCENDING

6 comments | 23 retweets | 106 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~11 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

CHILE anyways

1 comment | 3 retweets | 8 likes

__________________********__****__****__ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****************brit**************** @britbrit04~ 10 min ago

__________________********__****__****__i__****__****__******** _ _ _ _ _ _n response to @officialbachelor______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

alright that's it i'm watching this season

0 comments | 3 retweets | 4 likes

__________________********__****__****____\-------------------------------_ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hinata looked upon from the newspaper he was reading. "I'm so nervous!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, Natsu walked into the room. "You ready for your big day?" Natsu asked. "I'm not ready at all," Hinata contested honestly. He didn't know what he was doing. Why was he even here? He would have to have a talk with his mother.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata!"

Hinata snapped out of his daze and looked over at his sister, who was gazing at him expectantly.

"What?"

"I said, the stylists want to see you,"

"Ugh okay," he whined before exiting the room.

Once he made it to the stylist room, he sat down in one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. There's not even anyone here, why did they need me? I should just leave...  
He was about to get up and walk out when he heard two people enter the room. "Sorry we're late!" he heard someone chirp.

A dark haired girl approached him. She had bright blue eyes and a smile on her face. "Hi there, I'm Kiyoko. I'll be your stylist throughout the season!" she said.  
"It's nice to meet you Kiyoko-san, I'm Hinata," he replied. "We already know who you are," she chuckled. He looked up with a questioning look on his face.  
"Everybody knows you! You're the new bachelor," she reminded. "Oh right," he sighed. "I'm not quite used to this."

"You'll get the hang of it" the other woman in the room said. Hinata looked over, confusion evident on his face.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself!" she muttered. "I'm Yachi! I'm Kiyoko-san's assistant". Yachi had short blonde hair and brown eyes. She seemed to have a lot of energy. Hinata had a feeling they would get along well.

"Hey Yachi!"

"Anyways, we're here to do your hair. After that, you'll be ready to go!" Kiyoko said.

What followed was an abnormal amount of hair gel and a lot of fussing.

"We're done!" Yachi said as she tapped him on the shoulder. Hinata looked in the mirror and almost didn't recognize himself. His hair was still a bit messy, but now it looked like he styled it like that. Hinata didn't normally use hair gel, but he might have to start using it!

"Thank you, it looks great!" he said. "Of course," the pair replied. Hinata would've sat there looking at his hair all day, if he didn't have to leave.

He got up, took one last look in the mirror. He put on the most neutral expression he could muster, and walked out of the room. He was happy he got to meet Kiyoko-san and Yachi. He felt more confident knowing that he would have someone to talk to if he ever needed advice.

Hinata continued down the hallway until he bumped into someone.

"Sorry," the man said.

"Oh hey Daichi!" Hinata said.

Daichi looked up and smiled. "Hinata! I was just looking for you!". Hinata had just met Daichi recently. He was one of the producers of the show. He coordinated everything from camerawork to special events. He worked hard, and Hinata admired him for that.

Suddenly, a gray haired man snuck up behind Daichi put his arm around his shoulder.

"Daichi!" Daichi looked up and his face immediately brightened. Hinata wasn't sure if he had ever seen Daichi look that happy. The pair whispered to each other, and then the newcomer glanced at Hinata.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot to introduce myself!" the man said. "My name's Sugawara, but you can call me Suga. I help Daichi out with some of his producer duties," he laughed, elbowing Daichi jokingly. "Suga, this is Hinata. He's the newest bachelor," Daichi gestured to Hinata.

"Oh, I've heard all about you. It's nice to meet you," Suga said. "It's nice to meet you too," Hinata replied. Hinata had a feeling Suga knew something he didn't, judging from the smirk on his face.

"Anyways," Daichi interrupted. "The limo's right out there Hinata! We'll meet you at the mansion,"

Hinata thanked him and walked out of the hallway. He glanced back and saw Daichi and Suga hugging. Suga had his hands around Daichi's waist. Well, there's definitely something going on there, Hinata thought to himself. He hoped they were dating, because they seemed to have a lot of chemistry. Hinata was jarred out of his thoughts when he heard the driver yell at him to get in the car. He hurriedly jumped into the car and closed the door behind him. The driver looked back to make sure he was there, and then started to drive.

Hinata looked out the window as they were driving to the mansion. He wasn't sure what to expect going in. He had never even seen the mansion, let alone the "suitors" he would be talking to. Hinata was only sure of one thing:

This would be a life-changing experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on twitter!


	2. anticipation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hey hey! here's chapter 2!! six suitors are introduced this chapter :)

Hinata gazed out the window as the mansion grew closer and closer. Once the limo stopped, he could see the mansion in all of its glory. It was very beautiful. The building had a vintage (but elegant) feel to it. The front entrance had a gorgeous courtyard with lots of greenery. 

The door adjacent to him opened quickly, and Hinata hopped out. He began to walk across the pavement of the driveway and into the courtyard. 

A man was standing at the entrance to the courtyard. He looked to be in his 30s, and had blonde spiky hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black suit and had black studs on his ears to match. Hinata thought he looked very cool.

"Hinata!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Keishin Ukai! I'm the host for this latest season of The Bachelor! It's great to meet you," the man answered. He looked Hinata up and down, and smiled brightly. "You look ready to go!"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Hinata muttered. He still couldn't quite fathom the fact that he was going to be on live TV.

"Sounds good!" Ukai chuckled. "The suitors will be coming shortly. You'll have a couple minutes to introduce yourself and chat briefly. I'll be in the mansion with the producers, so don't hesitate to come find me if you ever need anything!"

"Thanks again!" Hinata said as the man walked away.

\------------------------------

 **The Bachelor** @officialbachelor ~60 min ago

Who's ready for the premiere??

1k comments | 3k retweets | 7.2k likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo~54 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

I'M NOT EMOTIONALLY READY

34 comments | 393 retweets | 786 likes

**brit** @britbrit04~50 min ago

_in response to @sunshineshoyo_

I'M NOT READY EITHER WTF

2 comments | 3 retweets | 5 likes

\---------------------------------

Hinata stood at the entrance for a while, heart racing, until he heard a limo drive up. The limo stopped at the driveway in front of him. The driver got out and opened the rear door of the vehicle, and a brown-haired man got out of the car. It was kind of hard to see his face because it was so dark outside.

The man walked over to him, and Hinata got a better look at his face. He had warm brown eyes and a smirk on his face. He was quite a few inches taller than Hinata, so Hinata had to look up to meet his eyes. The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before the newcomer spoke:

"Hey gorgeous,"

"Hi! What's your name?" Hinata asked politely. "I'm Oikawa," the man replied. Oikawa gave him a quick once-over, and nodded appreciatively. Hinata felt his cheeks grow hot.

"Well, I can't wait to get to know you better," Oikawa smirked before walking away. Hinata watched him as he paced confidently into the mansion. How could he be so calm and collected? "Things are looking good so far," he said to himself. 

He hardly had time to breathe before another limo pulled up. This time, a dark-haired man walked out of the limo. As he approached, Hinata was immediately drawn to his eyes. They were a beautiful blue-green. The color reminded him of the sea; of waves crashing against the shoreline. 

Hinata was so distracted he didn't even notice the man walk right by him. Why was he walking away? Was he not interested? Wait, he didn't even know his name! "Oi, what's your name?" he asked. "Akaashi," the man said. "It's nice to meet you! I'm-" Hinata started before getting cut off. "I know who you are" Akaashi replied before walking away and into the mansion.

What the hell? Why didn't he even try to hold a conversation? Was Hinata really that unfriendly? Maybe he wasn't feeling good? Hinata would have to ask him later.

A couple minutes passed by and there was still no sign of anyone coming in. Hinata was about to ask the producers if the next limo was running late when he heard someone yell his name. "Hinata!" the person shouted playfully. He looked over to where he heard the voice. To his surprise, it was coming from outside the gate! Hinata was confused, but replied with a quick greeting. Suddenly, he saw a man jump over the fence by the gate and jog over to him. The man had golden hair with an undercut, and a tongue piercing. He was wearing a tight fit navy suit that made his almond colored eyes pop. Hinata thought he was very attractive.

"Hi Hinata, I'm Terushima," the golden-haired main said. "It's nice to meet you," Hinata replied. Terushima grabbed his hands, and Hinata looked up to him. The newcomer smiled at him and said: "You deserve a man that will jump over fences for you,". Hinata felt his cheeks turn pink, and he chuckled at the man's pun. Terushima, evidently pleased that Hinata was impressed, turned and walked into the mansion. Hinata laughed to himself. That was quite clever. 

Everyone he had met so far was very nice. Hinata could see himself being in a relationship with any one of them. That was good. He was worried at first that he wouldn't find anyone he liked. Now it seemed that he met too many people that he liked. Oh well, he thought to himself. Better to have too many options than not enough.

While he was waiting for the next person to arrive, he looked around the courtyard. It was covered in flowers and plants. There was an ornate fountain in the middle. It was very gorgeous. He turned, with his back to the driveway, to try and get a look at the mansion. He was about to glance around the corner when he heard someone whistle. Hinata turned back around and realized that another limo had appeared. The suitor that got out of this limo had golden-blonde hair with dark brown eyes. He strutted over to Hinata, and he seemed to be oozing confidence. Hinata envied him.

The newcomer introduced himself as Atsumu. Hinata introduced himself also, and then he heard Atsumu ask: "Can I tell you something?". "Of course," Hinata replied. He wanted all the suitors to be comfortable with being honest with him. He was looking for someone who valued honesty and openness in a relationship.

"I'm actually a virgin," Atsumu said. 

"Oh," Hinata responded. Why would he say that? It's not like Hinata cared, but why did the man think it was a good idea to say that on national television?? He struggled to find words-

Atsumu noticed the confusion on his face and said "I'm just kidding,". Hinata sighed exasperatedly. Atsumu caught Hinata's eyes and muttered "I'm not a virgin,". Hinata felt a blush creep onto his face. Atsumu winked at him. "I am, however, a virgin to this experience," he reasoned, "I'm so excited to see where this thing goes,". "Me too," Hinata replied. And with that, the golden-haired man smiled and walked into the mansion.

"That was weird..." Hinata remarked, "but also kinda cute".

The next limo pulled up right away. Hinata was starting to feel as if he were watching a parade... The door was opened slowly and a dark-haired man got out. He seemed to be wearing some sort of uniform? He had a ball in his hands.

"Hi," Hinata said hesitantly. The man was so good looking, it was making him nervous. He had black hair and blue eyes. The man walked over to him, and Hinata immediately noticed the height difference between them. It was during times like these that Hinata cursed his small stature. The newcomer looked down on him and smirked. "You're tiny," he remarked. 

"Huh??" Hinata questioned. That was kind of a rude thing to say. Good thing Hinata gave second chances. "So, what's your name?" he asked. "My name's Kageyama," the man replied. Hinata looked at him and noticed he was wearing some kind of sports uniform. "What sport do you play?" Hinata blurted out. "I play volleyball," Kageyama replied. "Nice." Hinata replied. The two stood there in silence for a bit. Kageyama kept staring at him, and Hinata felt as if he were under a microscope. He tried to break the silence: "So-"

"It was nice to meet you," Kageyama interjected. He looked at Hinata and seemed to be contemplating what to do. He then kissed him on the cheek quickly and walked away.

"That was a bit awkward," Hinata chuckled. "But I do love a man in uniform," he remarked, winking at the camera. The cameramen laughed at that.

He was about to start a conversation with the staff when he noticed yet another limo pull up to the driveway. How many more suitors was he going to be meeting? Sure, he was glad that he had more options, but he would start forgetting people's names if much more appeared.

The man that walked out of the car had a black hoodie and ripped jeans on. Kind of casual for an event like this, Hinata thought to himself. He was carrying a skateboard. The man walked over to him, and Hinata looked him up and down. He had dark gray hair that was combed to the left side of his face. He had dark brown eyes and- wait.. he looked very familiar... Before Hinata could think about it, the man introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Osamu," the man said. "Nice to meet you! I'm Hinata," he chirped. Osamu seemed nice enough. 

"So, as you can see, I'm carrying a skateboard. I've actually been skating for a couple years now, and I figured I could show you some tricks," Osamu said, looking at him expectantly. "That's so cool! I would love to see that!" he replied enthusiastically. The gray-haired man gave him a bright smile and set his skateboard down. He then got onto the skateboard and flipped it under his feet. "Wow! That was awesome!" Hinata gushed, "How did you do that?". "I can teach you if you want," Osamu replied. 

After Osamu gave him a brief lesson on how to skate on the skateboard, Hinata hopped onto the board. "Whoa this is so fun!" he remarked. Hinata felt himself wobble a bit before Osamu grabbed his hands to steady him. Hinata blushed and looked away.

"Okay, can you teach me how to do that flip thing now?" he asked. "Sure," Osamu said. "So you want to drag your front foot along the board, and bring your back foot up into the air," he summarized. "Sounds easy," Hinata replied confidently. He practiced sliding his front foot up the board until he got the hang of it. It's now or never, he thought to himself.

Hinata pushed his front foot up, and lifted his back foot off the board. He felt the board lift off the ground. That was super easy, he smiled to himself. What he hadn't noticed, however, was how far back his back foot was on the board. When he landed, the board flipped him backwards. Hinata was prepared to crash into the ground...

The next thing he knew, he was against Osamu's chest. Osamu's arms were wrapped around him. His hand was on the side of his face, as if he were protecting him. It felt kind of... nice. Hinata felt safe. They stayed like that, until they heard one of the cameramen clear his throat subtly. The two sprang apart, cheeks pink. 

Hinata swayed a little bit. "Easy there," Osamu said, grabbing his arm. "I thought that was gonna be easy!" Hinata whined. "I'll just have to teach you some more then," Osamu winked at him. "I'll look forward to it!" Hinata replied. Osamu turned and walked into the mansion.

"That's half of the suitors," one of the cameramen said. This is going faster than I thought, Hinata pondered. 

\---------------------------------

The Bachelor @officialbachelor ~10 min ago

Who made the best first impression so far?

1.6k comments | 1k retweets | 4k likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~5 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

full send from terushima.. respect

6 comments | 24 retweets | 46 likes

**sophie** @1luvh1nata ~4 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

he has balls ngl...

but did you SEE oikawa like damn

3 comments | 6 retweets | 7 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~2 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

akaashi cause he straight up just walked up and said "hello"... mf knows he's pretty

10 comments | 18 retweets | 56 likes 

**a** @shosho7 ~1 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

atsumu!!!!!!!!!!!

1 comment | 3 retweets | 10 likes 

t **ess** @kagslovesmilk ~1 min ago

_in response to @shosho7_

nah kageyama for sure. it was kinda awkward but really cute 

3 comments | 6 retweets | 15 likes

**a** @shosho7~1 min ago

_in response to @kagslovesmilk_

agree to disagree ?

1 comment | 0 retweets | 1 like

\---------------------------------------

 **The Bachelor** @officialbachelor ~1 min ago

That was smooth, Osamu. 

*gif of osamu holding hinata before he falls off the skateboard*

600 comments | 984 retweets | 3k likes

**I love osamu** @sk8erboi~49 sec ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

stream smooth mf by osamu miya.

4 comments | 25 retweets | 98 likes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the other six suitors will be introduced next chapter..
> 
> i’m starting my classes for college so i’ll probably be busy for a bit :(  
> 
> 
> follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/emerqlds)
> 
> -I was really tempted to have hinata say "it's nerf or nothing" instead of "it's now or never" but i thought it didn't fit oops


	3. searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nice to meet you," Hinata whispered. He looked down at his feet in an attempt to not make eye contact. The next thing he knew, Ushijima's hand was on his face. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you," Ushijima said, hand tightening around his face. Hinata felt immense pain in his jaw. That would definitely bruise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is!! the other 5 contestants are introduced this chapter!!
> 
> sorry for the wait guys :(
> 
> enjoy!!!!!!!
> 
> *disclaimer: ushijima is going to seem very ooc at first. but, his behavior is explained in the more recent chapters :)

Hinata looked at his feet. So far, all the suitors seemed very nice and friendly. He was excited to get to know them more. Hinata was still a bit nervous, but not as nervous as he was before. The staff had given him a small break in between shots to collect himself, which he was very grateful for.

"Hinata, are you ready?" someone said, jarring him out of his thoughts. He looked up to find Tanaka staring at him. The man had a shaved head and strong build. Hinata remembered being intimidated by him when they first met. "Yep, Tanaka-san!" Hinata replied cheerfully. Tanaka was easily one of his favorites on the show. He worked as a cameraman, alongside Nishinoya. The pair were the embodiment of chaos. Hinata was happy he met people that could keep up with his energy. 

"You got this Shoyo!" Noya shouted enthusiastically from behind the camera. Hinata turned and gave him a quick thumbs up before walking back to the mansion entrance.

Hinata hadn't been standing there for long when Ukai approached him...

"So, Hinata, what do you think so far?"

"I'm very happy! Everyone has been so kind, and I'm excited to form new relationships," Hinata replied. "That sounds great, Hinata," Ukai encouraged. "The next six suitors will be arriving soon... good luck!" He walked away.

The next thing Hinata knew, a new limo pulled up. The man that got out of the vehicle was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. He had black messy hair, and golden eyes. He looked a bit scary.

At least, until he pulled out a baby carriage.

Hinata had never been so confused in his life. He resorted to greeting the newcomer with a quick hello. "I'm Kuroo, it's nice to meet you," the dark-haired man said. "Nice to meet you," Hinata replied politely. He waited patiently for Kuroo to explain.

After a couple seconds of silence, Hinata had lost all his patience. "What's the baby carriage for?" he blurted out. "Well...I wanted to show you what our future looks like together," Kuroo said. That's so cute, Hinata thought. 

Kuroo suddenly whipped off the cover of the baby carriage, to reveal a wine bottle sitting inside. "But first," Kuroo smiled," let's get this party started!". He grabbed the wine bottle and popped it open. Hinata smiled brightly. Kuroo grabbed two glasses and said, "Cheers!". Hinata clinked his glass against Kuroo's and took a sip. The wine tasted sweet, and had a slight sour aftertaste. He thought it was quite good. Kuroo was clearly a man of taste.

"Well, I'll see you inside," Kuroo smirked after the two finished their glasses.

Hinata hardly had time to breathe before the next limo pulled up to the driveway. The suitor slowly stepped out, his head down. Hinata squinted, but he still couldn't make out any details about the stranger's face.

As the man walked closer, he noticed that he seemed to be holding some sort of gaming device. Once the man reached Hinata, he stopped in front of him. The newcomer's eyes were locked on the screen. 

"Um.. hi" Hinata whispered hesitantly. "Hi," the stranger replied, gaze still on the gaming console. "What's your name?" "Kenma" the newcomer replied.

Upon closer inspection, the gaming console looked to be a Nintendo Switch. Hinata stepped closer and took a peek at the screen. It looked like some sort of town game. Kenma was moving his character around to talk to animals...

"Oi, is that the new Animal Crossing game?" Hinata asked excitedly. "Yeah," Kenma replied, lips creasing into a soft smile. 

"Who's your favorite villager?" Hinata questioned, happy that he found something Kenma was interested in.

"There's too many.." he pouted. Hinata chuckled. Kenma then looked up, and Hinata felt his breath catch in his throat.

His dyed-blonde hair was no longer covering his face, showing bright honey-colored eyes. "Who's your favorite villager?" Kenma asked. Hinata, realizing that he had been staring, blushed and quickly answered. "My favorite is Punchy!" he smiled. 

Kenma didn't reply, and started walking away. Did he say something wrong? Maybe Hinata should say something else...

Hinata was about to run after him when Kenma whispered, "Me too,". He looked up at Hinata and gave him a bright smile. Hinata thought he was in the presence of an angel.

"See you, Shoyo," Kenma said as he turned and walked inside. Hinata gave him a small wave and turned around. He put his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Holy shit. He was surprised he didn't completely embarrass himself,

Hinata was still thinking about Kenma when the next vehicle pulled up. He was just so beautiful... The next suitor got out of the car, and was making his way to Hinata.

Hinata glanced back at the entrance. Maybe he could talk to Kenma later...

Suddenly, he felt someone behind him. He turned, and found the newcomer looming over him. 

"H- Hi" Hinata stuttered. The man in front of him was HUGE. He had dark brown hair and eyes, and an intimidating expression on his face. 

"I'm Ushijima," the newcomer stated. He gave Hinata one of the filthiest once-overs he had ever seen. Hinata shuddered.

"Nice to meet you," Hinata whispered. He looked down at his feet in an attempt to not make eye contact. The next thing he knew, Ushijima's hand was on his face.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you," Ushijima said, hand tightening around his face. Hinata felt immense pain in his jaw. That would definitely bruise.

"I..." Hinata mumbled. He felt Ushijima's fingers dig into his face, and he winced. Ushijima must have noticed Hinata's pain because he released his grip. Hinata brought his hand up to his face. It didn't feel like anything had broken, but it still hurt like hell. He looked up angrily, only to find that Ushijima had already walked away.

\-----------------------------------

 **sophie** @1luvh1nata~ 15min ago

if ushijima doesn't get his hands off of hinata i will riot

30 comments | 682 retweets | 1.2k likes

**a** @shosho7 ~13 min ago

_in response to @1luvh1nata_

fr like shoyo doesn't even like him he can hop off

3 comments | 1 retweet | 4 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~8 min ago

_in response to @shosho7_

how do u know? I don't like ushijima either but hinata might

2 comments | 4 retweets | 11 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~ 4 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

did you see his expression??? no way in hell hinata was happy about green giant grabbing him like that

1 comment | 10 retweets | 83 likes

**a** @shosho7 ~2 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

GREEN GIANT LMAOOO

0 comments | 3 retweets | 9 likes

\-----------------------------------------------

Tanaka and Nishinoya took Hinata's shoulders and led him to a quiet area on the side of the mansion. "Shoyo, you okay?" Nishinoya asked. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Hinata whispered. It wasn't really a lie. He was okay, just a bit shaken up. "Noya-san and I will make sure he doesn't pull anything like that again," Tanaka said, puffing his chest. "Try to stay away from him as much as you can," Nishinoya advised.

"Thanks senpais," Hinata said. He appreciated their support. 

"Now, do you want to stay here or meet the rest of the suitors?" Tanaka asked. "I'm sure they'll be sad if you're not there," he teased. "I'll go," Hinata answered, his cheeks turning pink.

Tanaka and Noya walked him back to the front of the mansion. Hinata fixed his hair, hands shaking. Another limo drove up and stopped by the front of the mansion. At this point, Hinata just wanted the day to be over. So much had happened that he needed some time to relax. 

From what Hinata could see, the person that came out of the limo looked about as tired as Hinata felt. The man was wearing a face mask that covered his nose and mouth. He had black wavy hair, and dark eyes. He had slight dark circles under his eyes, and he walked a bit slowly. 

"Hi, it's nice to meet you!" Hinata said. Sakusa nodded back at him. "What's your name?" he asked. "I'm Sakusa," the newcomer replied. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better Hinata," he said. His eyes squinted a bit, and Hinata guessed he was smiling under his mask. "Me too!" Hinata exclaimed as Sakusa walked away. Sakusa seems nice, Hinata thought to himself. Maybe if he...

"Two more Shoyo!" Nishinoya exclaimed, breaking Hinata out of his reverie. "Thanks Noya-senpai!" Hinata replied. He saw Nishinoya's cheeks turn pink, and he chuckled. Hinata learned that Nishinoya loved being called "senpai", so he took it upon himself to call him that frequently. It was kind of stupid, but seeing the look on Noya's face made the endeavor worth it.

Hinata watched as the last two limos pulled into the driveway. As soon as the suitor got out, the first vehicle sped away. Hinata tried not to laugh as the newcomer threw his hands up in exasperation. As he walked up, Hinata took in his appearance. The man had dark brown hair and eyes. He had small hoops on his ears, and was wearing a maroon suit that was perfectly sized. He walked over to Hinata and gave him a hug. "Hi, I'm Iwaizumi," the man said. "It's nice to meet you,". Hinata responded: "It's nice to meet you too,". "So, how's your day going?" Iwaizumi asked. Hinata was pleasantly surprised by that. Most of the suitors didn't ask how he was doing. He felt like he could trust Iwaizumi, and so he told him about the day's events.

Iwaizumi was a great listener, never interrupting. But when Hinata got to talking about Ushijima, Iwaizumi's face darkened. "Hinata, it's not safe for you to be here," Iwaizumi said to him. Hinata didn't want to admit it, but he was right. He had no idea what Ushijima would try next. "Promise me you'll stay away from him?" Iwaizumi asked. "I'll try," Hinata replied dejectedly. The dark-haired man seemed to notice his desperation and pulled him into another hug. "I'm here if you need me, okay?" Iwaizumi said, patting his shoulders. He then walked away. 

Hinata had never felt such comfort in his entire life. He felt his eyes starting to water, and he quickly brushed his tears away. Regardless of what happened, he knew he would stay in contact with Iwaizumi. He was such a good person. He kind of reminded him of Natsu...

A man jumped out of the last limo. Finally, Hinata thought to himself. The man walked over to him. Immediately, the first thing he noticed was the man's hair. He had spiky white-gray hair that looked similar to an owl. His golden eyes were alight with joy and happiness. Hinata could feel positive vibes radiating off this man.

"Hey hey hey!" the man shouted, "it's great to meet you Hinata!". "Nice to meet you too!" Hinata replied enthusiastically. "My name's Bokuto" the man informed him. "Do you wanna hear a joke?" he asked. He looked so pure and excited that Hinata couldn't say no.

"Knock Knock,"

"Who's there?"

"Baby owl"

"Baby owl who?"

"Baby owl see you later!" Bokuto finished, looking over at Hinata expectantly. Hinata sputtered in an attempt to hide his laugh, but it didn't work. "Aw yeah! You liked it!" Bokuto cheered. Hinata couldn't stop laughing. Bokuto's celebration only made it worse. Soon enough the two of them were clutching their stomachs from laughing so hard. Hinata sighed as he wiped a tear off his face, "That was so bad,". "But you liked it!" Bokuto replied. 

Hinata rolled his eyes playfully and watched the man walk into the mansion. Ukai came up to him shortly after. He asked Hinata some questions about first impressions, and Hinata answered to the best of his ability. He was terrible at names, so it was hard to describe who he was talking about. Before he knew it, Ukai was walking away, wishing him luck on the first night. Hinata turned around, looking up at the mansion. He steeled his nerves, and stepped inside. 

\----------------------------------------

 **The Bachelor** @theofficialbachelor ~5 min ago

That's the premiere! The next episode airs next week! See you then!

800 comments | 1k retweets | 2.4k likes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sry y'all i luv ushijima but someone has to create drama ;)
> 
> thanks for reading! next chapter coming soon!
> 
> Follow me on twitter!


	4. every rose has its thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait guys! i just finished my first week of college, so my life has been kind of crazy. i actually have a mix of online and in-person classes. how about you guys? i feel like most people have all online classes... im kinda jealous but also kinda not? idk its a crazy time rn
> 
> i also wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the support! i really appreciate it! honestly kudos, comments, bookmarks... they completely make my day. so thanks! ily all <3
> 
> ANYWAYS cause i can't shut up apparently... here's chapter 4!!!!!! 
> 
> warning: there's a decent amount of swearing in this chapter. oops.

**TROUBLE IN PARADISE??**

The Bachelor's season premiere took a dramatic turn last night. Suitor Ushijima Wakatoshi physically assaulted Hinata Shoyo, the bachelor for this latest season. Fans were furious at the attack, going as far as to attack Ushijima on twitter:

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~1 day ago

@ushijimawakatoshi if you keep touching Hinata without his consent I WILL cut your hands off

20 comments | 327 retweets | 1.2k likes

**I love osamu** @sk8erboi ~22 hrs ago

you clearly saw hinata's discomfort, but grabbed his face regardless. you disgusting, pathetic excuse of a human being.--ushijimawakatoshi

33 comments | 456 retweets | 1.6k likes

**a** @shosho7 ~ 21 hrs ago

go back to the vegetable garden and get me some green beans Green Giant @ushijimawakatoshi

5 comments | 23 retweets | 67 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~ 18 hrs ago

BARK BARK ARF ARF BARK @ushijimawakatoshi

224 comments | 2.3k retweets | 5k likes

**brit** @britbrit04

_in response to @partyanimal69_

dude what are you on...

...and can I have some

4 comments | 12 retweets | 23 likes

\-------------------------------

Hinata walked into the mansion, hands shaking. He still hadn't quite gotten over Ushijima's sudden assault... Nonetheless, he was excited to get to know the rest of the suitors. He opened the door to the mansion, and gasped loudly. The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior. Vintage paintings lined the walls, and plants decorated the hallway. It was the perfect mix of vintage and modern. As he continued down the hallway, he saw what appeared to be the dining area. It was fully furnished with modern appliances, and baskets of fruit decorated the countertops. Hinata would be spending a lot of time in there.

The mansion was so big, he was having trouble finding everyone. Once he left the dining area, he came across a couple bedrooms and a game room, but he still couldn't find anyone. He continued to wander aimlessly, lost in thought. As excited as he was for this experience, he missed his family. Hinata told himself that he would call Natsu later tonight. 

Hinata was so lost in thought that he didn't notice his surroundings until he bumped into a large and strong chest. He looked up, only to find Ushijima staring down at him. He tried to back away, but Ushijima had a strong grip on his shoulder. Ushijima brought his hand up, and Hinata tried escape his grasp. Ushijima's hand was about to touch his skin when someone's hand shot out.

\--------------------------------

Sakusa was not having fun. In all honesty, he wasn't really sure why he was here. It was all Komori's fault. If his cousin hadn't forced him to apply for the show as a favor, Sakusa wouldn't even be here. He glanced down at his watch briefly. 8:10 PM. Ugh. He would've been cleaning the apartment right now. He glanced across the room, looking at all the other "suitors". Most of them seemed to be nervous, tapping their fingers and scanning the room rapidly. There were a couple that seemed fairly confident... The golden-haired man sitting at the bar didn't look fazed. He was laughing with a brown-haired man who looked equally as confident. The brown-haired man turned, warm brown eyes looking across the room. Sakusa caught his eye, and the man winked. He looked away, pulling his mask up to cover his entire face. He hated it here.

The only true reason he was here went by the name of Hinata Shoyo: a short, redhead ball of energy. Sakusa didn't feel attraction to others all that often, but when he did, it hit him like a train. And that was exactly how he felt with Hinata. He definitely didn't expect that at first....

~~~~~~~

Sakusa gazed out of the limo window. The whole drive up to the mansion he had spent spreading hand sanitizer on his hands and making himself look presentable. He put gloves on too, because he absolutely HATED handshakes. Too many germs. Hopefully Hinata didn't mind... Sakusa had looked at some pictures of Hinata before he arrived, to get a sense of what his personality was like. Hinata's Instagram was filled with selfies and pictures with his friends. He was wearing a bright smile in every picture. It was clear that he had a bright and bubbly personality- the complete opposite of his. Sakusa would've jumped out of the limo right then and there if it hadn't been for the contract he signed. On second thought, he should've read it a bit more thoroughly. Maybe then he wouldn't be stuck in a limo, awaiting his own doom. 

Well, that was a bit dramatic. But still, he wasn't exactly eager to be living in a mansion with a bunch of attractive men all fighting for one person's attention. Sakusa wasn't a super competitive person, and he knew that he would have to be assertive to get time with Hinata. And Sakusa was not assertive. He hoped his first impression was memorable enough that he wouldn't have to worry about speaking to Hinata later in the night.

He stepped out of the limo reluctantly. As soon as he stood up, he did a quick check to make sure his clothing looked presentable. He was wearing an emerald green suit (he had to admit, the color did complement his features well), dress shoes, and his mask. Sakusa would never take his mask off in front of others, even if it meant looking weird on national television. Too many germs.

Sakusa began his walk to the entrance of the mansion. He didn't realize he was daydreaming until he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up (or down, rather), and found Hinata. He looked great in pictures, that was for sure. But nothing could compare to how he looked right now. The redhead was wearing a navy, well-tailored suit that hugged his slender frame. He had a silver piercing around his nose, and his lips were curled into a smile. Freckles covered his cheeks. Sakusa pinched his skin, praying that he wouldn't wake up in his bed alone. But no, he was not dreaming. Now that he thought of it, he wasn't sure if his mind could dream up someone as beautiful and perfect as Hinata. He was instantly reminded of a quote his art teacher said once: "Some people are artists. Some themselves, are the art,"

Sakusa didn't know much about art, but he was sure that Hinata was the most beautiful painting he had ever seen. 

Hinata reached his hand out for a handshake, and immediately Sakusa regretted wearing gloves. He reached his hand from out of his pocket, and shook Hinata's hand. He saw the confusion on Hinata's face and looked away, mentally preparing himself for a comment about his gloves-

"I like your gloves!"

Sakusa turned so fast he thought he would get whiplash. Hinata had a bright smile on his face. "Your gloves are so cool!" he gushed. It took all of Sakusa's self-control to not get down on one knee and ask to marry the man right there. Instead, he resorted to a simple "Thanks". The pair talked for a bit longer, before Sakusa walked inside.

~~~~~~~

Sakusa continued to survey the room. Everyone seemed to be making friends... everyone except one. The tall, dark-haired man standing in the corner didn't seem eager to make friends. He had been brooding in the corner silently ever since Sakusa had walked in. Even Sakusa had to admit, "Ushijima" was kind of intimidating. The only reason he knew the man's name was because he introduced himself in front of everyone. Weird. He was rather confident. Suddenly, as if sensing that Sakusa was thinking about him, the man looked over at him. He had a hungry look in his eyes, and Sakusa's eyes widened. He looked behind him, desperately hoping that look wasn't for him.

Sure enough, Ushijima wasn't looking at him. He was instead looking at the redheaded man entering the room. Wait- that was Hinata. Sakusa felt his stomach turn. He did not want Hinata to be looked at like that. Sakusa watched as Hinata entered the room. He seemed to be lost in thought, eyes tilted up towards the ceiling. Hinata then bumped into Ushijima. The redhead looked up and flinched. Sakusa decided to walk over, just to make sure Hinata was okay. He wanted to talk to him again before the night ended. 

As Sakusa made his way over to the two, he noticed Ushijima had his hand on Hinata's shoulder. It looked like Hinata was trying to walk away from him, but the man's grip was keeping him in place. Sakusa stopped behind Hinata and tapped him on the shoulder lightly. "Hey Hinata," he greeted politely. The redhead turned around, and Sakusa barely bit back a comment. 

Hinata's face was contorted with fear. He looked up at him and said "H-Hello Sakusa-san,", eyes wide. Even the man's hands were shaking. Sakusa took that as a sign that Ushijima's attention was unwanted. He saw Ushijima's hand move closer to Hinata... "Don't touch him," he said bluntly, tearing the man's hand away from Hinata. Sakusa quickly stepped in front of Hinata, shielding him from view. Ushijima looked at him and growled. "Why should I?" he asked mockingly.

"He clearly doesn't want you touching him," Sakusa muttered, "so leave him alone,". Ushijima took a step forward, and Sakusa stood his ground. He would not stand by and let Hinata get harassed. He readied himself for what was to come....

"Gentlemen," a new voice said, clearing the air. Sakusa turned around, and saw Ukai standing at the entrance of the room. "If you could please have a seat," Ukai suggested. All the suitors in the room made their way to the large table in the center of the room. Ushijima exhaled frustratedly and made his way over to the rest of the suitors. Sakusa looked down at Hinata. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I am now!" Hinata answered. He felt his cheeks turn pink. How was this small redhead making him feel these things? 

The next thing Sakusa knew, Hinata was burrowed into his chest, his arms snaking around his waist. The dark haired man looked down in surprise. He contemplated for a second, then hesitantly embraced Hinata. Hinata sighed contentedly. They stayed like that until they heard Ukai clear his throat.

Realizing they had an audience, the pair jumped apart. Sakusa made his way over to the table. Quite a few of the other men were giving him dirty looks. Oh well. 

Once he sat down, he turned his attention to the man standing at the front of the room. 

"Hello everyone, and welcome to The Bachelor! My name is Ukai, and I will be the host of this season!" the spiky-haired man greeted. "This season is going to be better than ever! We'll have even more twists, so get ready!" 

"And Hinata...."

\----------------------------

Hinata wasn't paying the slightest attention to what Ukai was saying. He was too shaken from what Ushijima had tried to do. Good thing was Sakusa was there. Hinata didn't find him particularly memorable at first, but he definitely earned some brownie points from earlier. 

He looked around at all the men sitting around him. The air was brimming with tension. He could feel the suitors sizing each other up, determining their competition. If Hinata wasn't the one they were fighting for, he would find it quite funny. 

"Hinata," Ukai's voice jarred him out of his thoughts. He looked up, only to find everyone's eyes on him. It was very unsettling. 

"Hinata, I have a special surprise for you!" Ukai said. "I am gifting you a first impression rose. You can give it to the person who you liked the most, or who you were impressed by. You must pick a person to give it to by the end of the night,"

Hinata sighed. This was going to be quite interesting. He liked everyone he had met so far...

"Alright," he replied. 

"Now, let the party begin!" Ukai yelled as he popped open a bottle of champagne. Everyone cheered and whooped. The group clinked glasses and sipped their drinks. 

Hinata smiled as everyone started to chatter. It seemed like everyone was getting along. He turned to Osamu, who was standing next to him.

"Cheers,"

"Cheers, Hinata," Their fingers brushed and Hinata felt a zap of electricity. He felt Osamu's eyes on him, and he blushed. 

"Can I steal you for a second?" a familiar deep voice sounded. Hinata felt dread coiling in his chest, and against his better judgement, he turned around, only to see Ushijima towering over him.

Hinata sighed frustratedly. "Sorry Osamu," he apologized. "It's fine Hinata," he replied. "I'll just have to steal you back later," he winked. Hinata thanked the gods that his back was turned, because his face was tomato red. 

Ushijima guided him to a secluded seating area in the courtyards. Hinata wasn't feeling great about being alone with Ushijima, especially after what happened earlier that day. Not to mention, Ushijima had been silent the entire walk. 

The pair sat down on a couch overlooking the courtyard. Hinata had to admit, it was beautiful. The flowers planted there were facing the moonlight, giving them an ethereal glow.

Ushijima's voice broke the silence: "Give me the first rose," Wait, what? How dare he? It was his decision! "Why should I??" Hinata questioned him angrily.

"Oh I don't know...." Ushijima muttered, "you have a sister right?"

"What did you just say?" Hinata whipped his head around. Why did he know that?? "Natsu Hinata. Age 21. She wants to go to medical school and become a doctor. Resides in Miyagi Prefecture." Hinata felt fear course though his chest. How did Ushijima know all of that? It's not like Hinata told the whole world about his sister. In fact, he had hid the fact that he had a sister, so that fans and viewers wouldn't harass her. But now....

Play dumb Hinata, he reminded himself. "I don't know who that is.." Hinata said, while mustering a confused expression on his face. Suddenly, Ushijima reached into his pocket and grabbed a picture. He flipped it around to show Hinata. "You sure?" Hinata looked at it hesitantly.

His breath caught in his throat. Bright orange hair. Easy smile. That was definitely his sister. He felt his hands start to shake. Who did Ushijima think he was? Threatening his family? Hinata tried so hard to keep his composure, but when he saw Ushijima's smug face, he snapped.

"What the _fuck_?" Hinata shouted. "Stay the fuck away from-" his voice was muffled by Ushijima's hand. "Be quiet for your sister's sake," he muttered under his breath. Hinata's eyes widened. Ushijima smiled smugly, and removed his hand from Hinata's mouth. "Thanks in advance," he whispered in Hinata's ear. 

"There's no way in hell I'm giving you that rose," he asserted. He tried to sound threatening, but he was trembling so much that he doubted Ushijima was intimidated. 

"We'll see," Ushijima smirked, walking away. Hinata had never wanted to punch someone in the face more. He was about to get up from his chair when he remembered. Natsu. If he went after Ushijima, he was endangering Natsu. 

He sank back into the couch, hands rubbing at his eyes. Why did he agree to this? If he had just refused to be on the show, then Natsu would be safe. He felt his eyes start to water.

He fucked up. Big time. 

Hinata was so worried for Natsu. Even if he gave Ushijima the rose, there wasn't any guarantee that he would leave Natsu alone. Tears streamed down his face. Damn it! 

It was all his fault.

He continued to sob uncontrollably. He kept thinking about Natsu and how he was putting her in danger... Hinata felt his throat start to close up. His breaths turned rapid and shallow. Hinata tried his best to get up. He didn't want to keep the other men waiting. So, he slowly pushed himself off of the couch. He wobbled a bit, but managed to right himself. Hinata walked into the hallway slowly, thinking everything over.

He only made it about three steps into the hallway before a wave of dizziness overcame him. Whoa. His vision became blurry and grainy. He fumbled until his right hand found the wall next to him, and he leaned on it like it was a lifeline. 

Hinata stood there for a bit, and then tried to push through the dizziness. He barely managed to take another step before he felt his legs give out. He prepared to feel the impact of hitting the floor when he felt someone grab him.

Hinata turned to find Iwaizumi. Shit. He did not want the dark-haired man to see him like this. He felt so utterly weak and pathetic. He felt tears stream down his face, and he went to brush them off when he felt Iwaizumi's hand caress his face. The dark-haired man wiped away his tears gently, and Hinata felt so _loved_. 

Iwaizumi then looked him up and down. Hinata knew he must look like an absolute wreck right now; puffy red eyes, trembling hands, kneeling on the ground. "What happened?" the man asked him. "Just lost my footing for a second there," Hinata lied smoothly. Iwaizumi didn't seem to believe him. Hinata turned away and got up from the ground. He felt Iwaizumi's eyes on him as he tried to continue walking. He made it a bit farther this time before he felt his legs give out again. Hinata felt Iwaizumi's arm snake around his waist, "Easy there, princess". Hinata spluttered. He felt his face darken, and he looked up to find Iwaizumi smiling in satisfaction. Hinata made a move to escape his grasp, only to have the man's arms tighten around him. "I don't think so," Iwaizumi argued.

The next thing he knew, he was in Iwaizumi's arms. Hinata let out a surprised yelp. "Hey!" he whined, "let me go!". The dark-haired man looked down at him and smiled smugly, "Nope!". As Iwaizumi carried him down the hallway, Hinata couldn't help but think about how strong Iwaizumi was. He knew that he wasn't very heavy, but still! He was glad the man couldn't see his face, because he was certain that his cheeks were flushed pink.

Iwaizumi carried him all the way outside until they reached a secluded gazebo. He then set Hinata down gently on the couch that lay under the gazebo, and sat down in the chair adjacent. Hinata sat in silence as he watched the man catch his breath. 

"So.. mind telling me what that was all about?" Iwaizumi asked after a couple minutes. Hinata sighed. He didn't really want to talk about it, but he owed him an explanation. 

So, he told the man everything. Everything from Hinata's first encounter with Ushijima to their conversation just a few minutes ago. The only thing Hinata didn't mention was how Ushijima threatened him. The last thing he wanted to do was get Iwaizumi involved, and put him in danger. 

As he was telling his story, Iwaizumi didn't say a word. He never interrupted. He was truly a great listener. Hinata liked that about him. 

When Hinata finished his story, he felt a bit relieved. It was nice to be able to tell something about everything that had transpired (save for the threats). He looked over to Iwaizumi. He had a sympathetic look on his face. Hinata felt tears gather in his eyes. He felt bad for even putting Iwaizumi in this situation. The man joined the show to be a suitor and find love, and here Hinata was, treating the man like his personal therapist. 

"I'm so sorry," Hinata whispered. "Don't be," Iwaizumi reassured him. He grabbed his hand tenderly. "You can let it out, I'm here for you," he comforted him. Before he knew it, he was sobbing hysterically. Everything that had transpired that day: all his built-up frustration, anger, confusion, anxiety, it all came out.

Iwaizumi stayed there the whole time, reassuring him. He was rubbing his wrist in soothing circles, and Hinata immediately felt calmer. Once he managed to recollect himself, he turned over to Iwaizumi. The man looked so incredibly beautiful. Not only did he look beautiful, but he also had a kind heart. Hinata relaxed what he just thought, and slapped himself mentally for saying something so cliche. 

"Thank you so much, Iwaizumi."

"Of course," Iwaizumi replied. He squeezed his hand, and Hinata felt a feeling of tranquility wash over him. He didn't think he could ever thank Iwaizumi enough. Hinata continued to talk to Iwaizumi for a bit, before someone else approached them. "Well, I guess that's my cue to leave," the dark-haired man said. Hinata looked at him and smiled. He then leaned in and kissed Iwaizumi on the cheek. "Thanks again," he said softly. Iwaizumi said goodbye and walked away.

What followed was one of the most chaotic nights of Hinata's life. He talked to every single suitor that night. Word must have gotten out that he wasn't having the best day, because everyone that went to talk to him had comforted him in some way. Some, like Atsumu and Osamu, didn't bother to hide their concern, going as far as to ask him if he needed water or anything. Others weren't as forward, but showed their concern nonetheless. Kenma put down his gaming console. Akaashi actually talked to him (and if that wasn't a miracle, Hinata wasn't sure what was). By the end of the night, Hinata felt as if he were drowning in love and support.

His happiness quickly turned to worry when Ukai approached him. "Hinata, it's time to give out the first impression rose". Hinata's heart plummeted. What was he going to do? As he and Ukai walked back into the mansion, he felt his nerves from earlier return.

Ukai led him to the center of the room. He watched as everyone made their way to the sitting area in front of him. Once everyone was seated, Hinata stepped forward. He looked back to Ukai, who reassured him with a nod. 

Hinata cleared his throat. Everyone looked up at him expectantly. He sighed. "As you all know, I have a rose to give out tonight," he started. "I was originally conflicted about who to give it to, but there was one person here who really brightened my day. He reassured me when I was feeling overwhelmed, and for that I am forever grateful. I am looking forward to getting to know this kindhearted person even more."

He glanced around at the group. His eyes landed on the person he was referencing, and he shot them a big smile. Hinata was about to look away when he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked over..

\----------------------------

Iwaizumi felt.. well... good. It had been a total coincidence that he spotted Hinata in the hallway, but he was glad it happened. Once he saw Hinata stumble, he knew something was wrong. He offered to carry Hinata, and the redhead refused at first. Seeing him stumble again was all it took for Iwaizumi to swoop him up and carry him in his arms. As Iwaizumi walked to find somewhere quiet, he couldn't help but think about how perfectly Hinata fit in his arms. He looked down at him. His bright orange hair was a bit messy (but Iwaizumi thought it was cute regardless), and his eyes were red from crying. Even in this state, he looked beautiful. How was that even possible???

Later on, Iwaizumi learned why Hinata was looking so disheveled. As the redhead told his story about Ushijima, Iwaizumi was trying his very best to conceal his anger and fury. The last thing he wanted was to cause another situation. Still, he wanted to punch that stupid bastard into the next century. But that wasn't important right now. Right now, his priority was Hinata.

Hinata finished his story and looked up at him. Iwaizumi saw that the man had tears in his eyes, and he felt a pang of sympathy in his chest. He didn't deserve to feel that uncomfortable. He shouldn't have to fear for his safety every time that- that _thing_ entered the room. The man clearly had no regard for human emotions, and thus Iwaizumi didn't even want to call him a person. 

He looked at Hinata, and moved his hand to grasp Hinata's wrist gently. He then moved his fingers in a circular motion around Hinata's hand. He wasn't really sure what he was doing, but he wanted to reassure Hinata that he was there for him. Clearly, it worked, because Hinata sighed contentedly. Iwaizumi smiled at him. He would give anything for Hinata's happiness. The redhead didn't know his worth, but Iwaizumi did. Even though they had just met earlier that day, Iwaizumi could tell that he was a wonderful person. Hinata was the kind of person to light up a room with his infectious energy. That was one of the things he liked the most about Hinata.

He watched as Hinata tried to collect himself. Iwaizumi sat in silence, until Hinata stopped crying. Sometimes, you just needed to let it out. Been there, done that- he thought to himself. Once the redhead was feeling better, he made small talk. He made sure to show that he was concerned, and that he was someone Hinata could rely on. 

Suddenly, he heard someone's footsteps behind him. Well, it was nice while it lasted. He said a brief goodbye to Hinata, and was about to get up when he saw Hinata move towards him. Very close to him. Wait, what-

He felt Hinata's soft lips on his cheek, and heard the man whisper a quick thank you. Iwaizumi felt his whole face turn red, and he elected to get up and walk away before he embarrassed himself any further. 

A couple hours later, and Iwaizumi hadn't seen Hinata again. To be honest, he kind of expected it. As much as he would like to, he couldn't hog all of the redhead's attention. So, he distracted himself. He drank a bit (not too much, he didn't want a hangover the next morning) and socialized. He soon found himself listening to a discussion about dipping sauces...

The black-haired man- Iwaizumi couldn't remember his name, so he just elected to call him Rooster- turned over to the man he was talking to and gasped. He looked very offended. "There's no way ketchup is better than mustard, bro" he argued. "It is!" the other man said. Iwaizumi turned, and was met with golden eyes and spiky hair. Mustard- Iwaizumi really needed to get better at learning names- and Rooster continued arguing. Iwaizumi sighed. How did he get himself into this mess? He turned to look around the room when he felt someone staring at him. Iwaizumi whipped his head around, and caught the gaze of a brown-haired man. He quickly looked away. He wasn't really in the mood to socialize anymore... The ketchup and mustard conversation took all of his brain cells. 

He looked down at the drink in his hands. He honestly wasn't much of a drinker, but he didn't want to be the only one without a drink. So, he grabbed a glass of who knows what, and sipped it occasionally. Ugh. He would've sat there, mourning the loss of his brain cells for hours if he hadn't felt someone stand behind him. Iwaizumi elected to ignore them. It worked for about ten seconds, until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Ugh. He was about to turn around and tell the person to go away when Hinata entered the room. The redhead looked nervous. He was messing with his fingers, and his eyes kept darting around the room. Ukai stood next to Hinata and beckoned everyone to the front of the room. Relieved to have an excuse not to socialize, Iwaizumi all but raced over to the sitting area.

He grabbed a seat next to a golden-haired man. The man turned over to him and winked. Asshole.

"Now, here are some of the ground rule..." Ukai droned on and on. Iwaizumi didn't pay attention at all. His mind kept drifting to what happened earlier. Hinata kissed him. Him. Was it a blue moon or something??

Iwaizumi watched as Hinata scanned across the room, and met his gaze. Hinata smiled brightly, and holy shit wait, that was adorable- 

Then, like the flip of a switch, Hinata's face fell. His bright smile quickly turned downwards into a grimace. His eyes, which were shining with happiness, were dull and blown wide. The man was clearly frightened. He looked over to where Hinata's gaze was fixed...

He couldn't see very well, but from what he could tell, someone was showing Hinata something from their pocket. Did something happen? He watched as the person moved to put the item back in their pocket. Iwaizumi saw a brief flash of reddish orange before the item was stuffed in their pocket. 

He was worried now. Whatever that was, it had a huge impact on Hinata. The terrified expression on his face was quickly replaced by another bright smile. Iwaizumi was hit with a wave of sadness. The fact that he switched to a happy expression so quickly showed that he was used to hiding his emotions. That was very concerning. He switched expressions in a split second. If Iwaizumi hadn't been looking at Hinata directly, he wouldn't have noticed Hinata's face change at all.

Hinata's voice broke the silence. "I'm giving my first impression rose to...."

Iwaizumi's nerves spiked, but he tried to brush it off. That speech was directed to him, right? Hinata had literally looked at him while saying it. So why was the man taking so long? Iwaizumi knew he was the clear choice...

"Ushijima"

Wait, _**what?**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was NOT supposed to be that long, but I kinda got hit with a wave of inspiration. so yeah!
> 
> idk why i made atsumu wink so many times... he just seems like that kind of person. ALSO sakusa is here peeps!!! not gonna lie when I started writing sakusa's pov... i was shocked by how easy he is to write... idk if it's cause we're a bit similar or what butttttt
> 
> next chapter coming in a week or so (hopefully)
> 
> follow me on twitter!
> 
> yuhhhhhhh gettin to it!! sry guys im super mega tired rn


	5. struck by your electric love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soon Kageyama began to loathe the idea of love. He saw couples holding hands, and he was instantly reminded of him and Sato. And he hated it. Hated how they were so happy, and he wasn't. So, he avoided it. He threw himself into volleyball, and buried his feelings deep inside himself. He hid all his emotions. 
> 
> And then, he met Hinata Shoyo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise surprise! another chapter!!
> 
> college has been kinda crazy... my suitemate was been exposed to someone who has COVID so we may have to quarantine.... yay -_-
> 
> anyways, another new pov woooooo!!!

**The Bachelor** @official bachelor ~34 min ago

Hinata gives the first impression rose to Ushijima!

3k comments | 609 retweets | 1k likes

**sophie** @1luvh1nata ~32 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

WAIT WHAT THE FUCK

4 comments | 23 retweets |50 likes

**a** @shosho7 ~31 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

i hate it here

3 comments | 18 retweets | 49 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~29 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

I WAS EXPECTING IWAIZUMI NOOO

40 comments | 348 retweets | 560 likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~28 min ago

_in response to @officialbachelor_

SAME HINATA WAS LITERALLY LOOKING AT HIM!!1!111!

3 comments | 30 retweets | 64 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~ 15 min ago

something's up...

3 comments | 0 retweets | 1 like

\-------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm giving my first impression rose to Ushijima"

Silence.

Kageyama's jaw dropped. He wasn't the most observant person out there, but even he knew Hinata didn't like Ushijima. So why on Earth did he give the rose to him? Kageyama was a bit jealous, but he was mostly just confused. He sat there gaping at the redhead, mouth opening and closing like a fish. 

Ushijima walked up to Hinata. Hinata had a red rose in his hand, and pinned it to Ushijima's lapel. His expression looked... strange. Was it regret? Anger? Sadness? Kageyama couldn't tell. 

Ushijima strutted back to his seat, smirk on his face. The rest of the suitors gave him dirty looks. The man no longer had to worry about the upcoming rose ceremony- he was already safe for the week. 

Ukai continued talking once Ushijima found his seat. "Now, enjoy the rest of the night!" he smiled. Ugh. He wanted to go to sleep. He held back a groan and looked over at Hinata. He seemed to be a bit nervous- his hands were shaking and he looked a bit pale. Kageyama waited for him to catch his eye. Eventually, Hinata looked over, and he smiled. 

Kageyama watched as Hinata walked out of the room. He leapt out of his seat and followed him. Eventually, Hinata stopped in a secluded room. He sat down at the nearest seat, and buried his head in his hands. It looked like he was trying not to cry. Kageyama sat down next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked.

\---------------------------------------------------

Growing up, Kageyama was a loner. He was an introvert, and he never made the effort to talk to people. Combine that with having a huge growth spurt far too early, and people avoided him like the plague. He was perfectly fine with that. He went to school, did his work, ate his lunch alone, did more work, and walked home. That was a cycle he repeated for all his life. And he liked it. He didn't need anything else. After all, Kageyama had volleyball, and that was all that mattered. In his opinion, he wasn't missing out on anything. Oh, how wrong he was.

It was his third year in high school. He was on the volleyball team. The team had been doing well the past couple years, even going as far as the national semifinals. He and the other two third years (Sato and Fujita) had been there since the beginning. That year, however, was even more important. It was the first year that they were in a different conference. A harder one. Ever since their nationals matches in his first and second year, the other teams were more wary of Karasuno. They were no longer underestimated. The team was moved into a more difficult conference, and Kageyama had been very excited.

That season, their team worked harder than ever before. They had practices twice a day, every day of the week. They trained in brutal summer heat. Thus, the third years grew even closer to each other. After all, they were with each other for a good chunk of each school day. Soon enough, Kageyama often found himself eating lunch with Sato and Fujita. Then, their lunches extended to meeting up later in the day. Kageyama would go with the two after classes, and they would walk to practice together. It was then that Kageyama learned about friendship. 

To be completely honest, he loved having friends. While he was an independent person and could do perfectly fine on his own, he liked being able to talk to people. Kageyama liked laughing until he was crying. He liked speeding through the streets, blaring some stupid rap song. He liked having people he could rely on.

As the season went on, the trio grew even closer. They became inseparable. Wherever Kageyama went, Sato and Fujita were soon to follow. It was nice. It was a drastic change from middle school. He valued his friendship with the two third years more than anything. However, Kageyama still felt as if he were missing something. He wasn't really sure it was. While he grew and learned more about himself as a person, he felt a bit.. well.. lost. Like something was missing.

He remembered one practice he was feeling particularly down. Sato and Fujita noticed, of course. They could read him like a book. And sure enough, during their water break, Sato approached him about it. Kageyama pretended like Sato wasn't there, and it worked for a bit. But, he could feel his friend's eyes boring into the back of his head. Eventually, he lost patience and snapped at him: "What?". "Talk to me after practice," Sato said bluntly, before walking away. Kageyama watched in shock as Sato walked away. His friend was never that straightforward. In that moment, he knew something was off.

Kageyama went through the rest of practice, his conversation with Sato replaying in his mind. Did he say something bad? He was stressing about it so much that his setting became less accurate. That practice consisted of more failed tosses than usual, and half-hearted apologies. By the end of practice, Kageyama was soaked with sweat. For the most part, it was a good practice. As he went into the locker room, he changed and took off his volleyball shoes. He was so anxious that he tied and retied his shoes several times. He waited. He watched as everyone got changed and left. He brushed off their concerns, and told them he was just waiting for Sato.

A couple minutes later, Sato walked in. Kageyama watched as Sato changed and put his volleyball stuff away. He waited with bated breath as Sato finished up and turned around to face him. Sato's voice broke the silence: "Care to tell me what's going on?". "Nothing's going on," Kageyama quickly denied him. Judging from the knowing look on Sato's face, he didn't buy that.

"Seriously.... what's wrong?" he asked again. "You know you can tell me anything right?" Kageyama was grateful he had such great friends. They knew him well- whether that was a good or bad thing, he wasn't sure. He pondered what exactly he would tell Sato, considering he wasn't even sure what he was feeling himself.

"Well..." he started. He looked to Sato nervously, and Sato gave him a nod of reassurance. "I just feel all disconnected," he continued. "I feel like I'm missing something, and I'm not sure what it is," he confessed, "like I'm missing out on something..." Kageyama looked over to Sato, who had an unreadable expression on his face. Kageyama bit his lip, and he watched as Sato's gaze flicked down to watch his lips.

"Well, I'm missing something too," his friend confessed, "and I think you can help me find it,". Kageyama looked over to him, confusion written all over his face. He watched as Sato got up and started walking closer to him... and closer... and closer... until he was leaning over him. Kageyama was pretty tall, and yet, next to Sato, he felt short. He looked into Sato's eyes. Sato slowly brought his hand up to caress his face. "Will you help me?" he asked. "Y-yes," Kageyama whispered breathlessly. Sato leaned forward, and his lips met his own. 

The kiss was short and sweet. When Sato pulled away, his face was flushed. Kageyama frowned as Sato moved his hand to leave his face. He mourned the loss of the other's warmth. He kind of wished the kiss was longer... He looked over to Sato, who was smiling at him. Oh, screw it. He grabbed Sato by the collar and pulled him in. Kageyama felt Sato hesitate, and then kiss him back. This kiss was more heated and desperate. Sato pushed him back, and Kageyama felt his back hit the lockers. Sato's hands cupped the back of his neck, and Kageyama brought his hands down to wrap around Sato's waist. Once they broke apart, Kageyama looked up at Sato.

"I found it," Kageyama whispered, "I found you,"

"We found each other,"

After that, their whole dynamic changed. Kageyama found himself looking for Sato whenever he had free time. Sometimes, Sato would pull him into the bathroom and kiss him. Other times, they just sat together, laughing and talking about their classes. It felt so natural. The first person they told was Fujita. Kageyama remembered mustering up all his courage and approaching Fujita about it, only for him to say "Finally,". Kageyama felt his whole face darken, and Fujita cackled. 

The couple's first date consisted of buttered popcorn and shitty romance movies. The two of them were huddled together on the couch in Sato's basement. He sat through The Notebook, The Fault in Our Stars... practically every romance movie you could think of. Hours passed by, and Kageyama felt himself growing weary. Eventually, he fell asleep. When he woke up, he was pressed up against Sato, a blanket draped over the both of them. Kageyama remembered looking at Sato's sleeping face, and feeling warmth in his chest. Sato woke up, and caught his gaze. The two looked into each others eyes, and Kageyama saw a fond look in Sato's eyes. 

That year, he learned of affection: of soft touches and sweet smiles, of hand holding and warm embraces. He learned how to love and how to be loved.

Their relationship lasted until the end of the school year. Their "breakup" wasn't even a breakup. It was a promise; a hope for the future. They departed with goodbyes and "We'll meet again someday,". Kageyama waited.

He waited for days, months... He watched as their daily texts turned weekly, and their Facetimes became less frequent. Kageyama listened as Sato talked of new friends he made during college. He watched from the other side of the screen as Sato stressed out about a first date with the girl he liked. Kageyama helped his friend pick an outfit. He watched as their first date turned into a second, and then a third. One day, Sato Facetimed him on a Monday. Kageyama knew something was off- Sato always called him on Fridays. He answered, and saw Sato standing next to a blonde girl. He saw the stars in his eyes, and how he looked at her. He used to look at me like that, Kageyama thought to himself. He remembered making a dumb excuse about having a test the next day, and hanging up the call. He remembered sinking to the floor, tears streaming down his face. That was the first time he felt heartbreak. It was then that he got a harsh reminder: Not everyone stays. 

The lonely feeling he had as a kid came back in full force. After that FaceTime call, Kageyama ignored his friend. He ignored his text messages, ignored the missed calls and voicemails. He deleted all their pictures. He erased Sato's contact information. He isolated himself. He avoided talking to people. He pushed himself away from his friends. He pushed everyone away.

He felt so incredibly guilty. Later on, he would add Sato's contact information back to his phone. He worked up the courage to send him a message... Sato replied with "Never talk to me again,". Kageyama gave up after that.

Soon Kageyama began to loathe the idea of love. He saw couples holding hands, and he was instantly reminded of him and Sato. And he hated it. Hated how they were so happy, and he wasn't. So, he avoided it. He threw himself into volleyball. He worked hard, and got a starting spot on a pro team. He practiced every day, multiple times a day. He'd eat in silence, by himself. He'd watch TV or scroll through his phone, and then fall asleep, only to repeat the same thing the next day. He buried all of his feelings deep inside himself.

And then, he met Hinata Shoyo.

All those feelings he pushed away came back in full force. He saw Hinata, and he felt like he was back in that locker room, experiencing love for the first time. When he looked at Hinata, he saw an infinite number of possibilities. He saw them on their first date, going shopping for an apartment. That was what scared Kageyama. He had never caught feelings this fast before. He had never been so certain about the right person, until now. He could envision the rest of his life with Hinata, and that scared him. 

Hinata was amazing. Kageyama barely knew him for a couple hours but he already knew Hinata was a great person. He was sweet and kind. He was extremely energetic, but in a good way. He was the type of person to strike up a conversation with anyone he met. Kageyama wouldn't be surprised if he saw Hinata on the street, climbing a tree to rescue some kittens. That was just how good of a person he was.

It didn't help that he was hot as fuck. Hinata's skin was tanned and littered with freckles. He had warm brown eyes that were captivating. His messy red hair framed his face perfectly. Everything about him was just.. beautiful. Not to mention the nose piercing. The first time he met Hinata he couldn't help but stare at his nose for, admittedly, longer than he should have. 

Hinata was just so endearing. Everything about him made Kageyama want to learn more. Every conversation they had, Kageyama had to restrain himself from grabbing the redhead and kissing him breathless.

That was the current situation he found himself in. After he calmed Hinata down, the two of them started talking. Kageyama was listening as Hinata told a story from when he was in high school. He was talking very animatedly, and his hands were flying everywhere. Occasionally he would make noises like "Gwah!" and "Whoosh!", and Kageyama would pretend like it wasn't the cutest thing in the world. They had been sitting in that room for so long, that they found themselves sitting next to each other. Kageyama continued to listen as Hinata told his story. He was talking about one of his friends, and the dark-haired man watched as his eyes sparkled. The redhead's cheeks were flushed pink from excitement, and Kageyama was clenching his fists in an effort not to jump on him. He then continued his story, and was smiling brightly. "So then-"

That was the last straw. All of Kageyama's self-restraint went flying out the window. He cut Hinata mid-sentence, and pulled him in for a kiss. Hinata didn't kiss him back at first, and Kageyama was mentally cursing himself for not asking Hinata if it was okay. He was about to walk away and die of embarrassment when he felt Hinata pull him closer.

"Excuse me," someone said, clearing their throat. Kageyama and Hinata quickly broke apart. Kageyama looked over at the person who interrupted them, only to find the golden-haired man he saw earlier. He had a dark expression on his face. What was his name... Atsumu? Yeah that must be it. From what he heard, the guy was a bit of an asshole.

"Can I steal you for a second, Shoyo-kun?" 

Hinata looked over at him reluctantly. "It's fine," Kageyama whispered. Hinata squeezed his hand and got up. Kageyama watched as he walked away with Atsumu. He had a vague premonition that he would regret letting Hinata go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah yes, kags joined the party
> 
> this story is turning out completely different than I thought... I think that's a good thing?? 
> 
> Follow me on twitter!
> 
> next chapter coming in a week (hopefully) !


	6. driving me wild

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back with another chapter woooo!! I'm sorry for the wait guys. I went home from college this past weekend to visit family, so I didn't really write until today. but, this chapter is quite long so hopefully you'll forgive me XD
> 
> just wanted to reiterate that your kudos, comments, and bookmarks mean the world to me. thank you to everyone for the support, it genuinely makes my day <3
> 
> since I can't shut up apparently....
> 
> here's the chapter!!
> 
> *a lot of swearing in this one

**The Bachelor** @theofficialbachelor ~30 min ago

The night is still young! What will happen next?

345 comments | 1.2k retweets | 4.7k likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~29 min ago

_in response to @theofficialbachelor_

did y'all SEE that??? did y'all SEE THAT?!

20 comments | 45 retweets | 98 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~28 min ago

_in response to @sunshineshoyo_

atsumu straight up said "party's over folks"

3 comments | 4 retweets | 8 likes

**sophie** @1luvh1nata ~27 min ago

_in response to @sunshineshoyo_

the look on atsumu's face..... 

4 comments | 20 retweets | 78 likes

**a** @shosho7~25 min ago

_in response to @sunshineshoyo_

only I can touch him.

30 comments | 0 retweets | 34 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~24 min ago

_in response to @shosho7_

girl huh? I hope you're not talking abt hinata

**a** @shosho7~22 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

.....

8 comments | 0 retweets | 6 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~21 min ago

_in response to @shosho7_

you have literally no chance get lost 

2 comments | 6 retweets | 11 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~20 min ago

_in response to @shosho7_

hinata likes me best periodt. all you hoes are irrelevant

24 comments | 0 retweets | 7 likes

**a** @shosho7 ~18 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

no

4 comments |0 retweets | 0 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~18 min ago

imagine thinking that you have a chance with hinata when he doesn't even know you exist...

300 comments | 1.1k retweets | 4.5k likes

s **ophie** @1luvh1nata ~17 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

right?? the clownery

5 comments | 30 retweets | 67 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~10 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

wow my tweet popped off...

follow me hoes

1 comment | 0 retweets | 3 likes

**ang** @roadworkahead ~9 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

it's the self promotion for me

3 comments | 7 retweets | 8 likes

**brit** @britbri04 ~8 min ago

_in response to @roadworkahead_

it's the username for me

1 comment | 0 retweets | 1 like

**ang** @roadworkahead ~7 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

hey my username is GREAT thank you very much

1 comment | 0 retweets | 0 likes

**brit** @britbrit04~7 min ago

_in response to @roadworkahead_

whatever nerd

1 comment | 0 retweets | 1 like

**ang** @roadworkahead~6 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

yk you love me <333

0 comments | 0 retweets | 1 like

\------------------------------------------------

Hinata was having the time of his life. Well, kind of.

He wasn't used to having people fight over him. Growing up, he was still unsure of his sexuality, and so he stayed out of romantic relationships. He had a couple flings here and there, but nothing too big. Going from that to having twelve different men fighting for your affection at the same time was quite the change.

So when Atsumu whisked him away from Kageyama, all he could think about was how they were all fighting for him. Hinata loved competition, but he wasn't a huge fan of it when it came to relationships. He always thought jealousy was kind of stupid. But what did he know?

Atsumu tugged on his hand, and the redhead was jarred out of his thoughts. Right. He should probably pay attention to where they were going.

"Atsumu-san, where are we going?" he asked. Atsumu turned his head and smiled at him. "It's a surprise!". Ugh. Hinata groaned, before realizing Atsumu was right next to him. 

"What's wrong?" Atsumu asked, puppy eyes looking down at him. Well, it was too late now. Might as well say it. Hinata replied:

"I don't like surprises"

\------------------------------

Well, shit.

That didn't go over as well as Atsumu had hoped. Oops. There's still time for him to save it-

"Well you'll like this one, promise!" he reassured him. He genuinely believed that Hinata would like this surprise. He had done some walking around in the mansion earlier in search of a secluded spot, and boom. Inspiration struck. He may have pulled a few strings and asked the crew to get some stuff for him... Atsumu was sure that the other suitors would kill him if they knew, but whatever. All's fair in love and war, as Osamu liked to say.

Ugh, Osamu. Ew. Atsumu had been hoping for some well-deserved time away from him, but _nope_. Instead, he followed him across the country to a mansion in the middle of nowhere to partake in a reality TV show about finding love. And to make matters worse, they were competing for the same guy. 

Growing up, the brothers had always been competitive. Everything from eating to sleeping turned into a competition. They kept a tally count of who won what, and it had gotten to the point where the tally was too big. After all, it had over 20 years of competition results on it. Some people may them crazy, but Atsumu didn't care. What was the point of life if you didn't compete? How could you get better and improve if you never had the chance to get experience from other people? 

For the most part, their parents were fine with their constant competition. They had tried to get the boys to stop at first, but they eventually gave up. He hated to admit it, but he and Osamu were _stubborn_. Once they started something, they had to persist and finish it to the end. Their parents struggled to find something that allowed them to unleash their competitive spirits in a way that wasn't harmful.

One day, they took Atsumu and Osamu shopping. The brothers were racing everywhere, trying to see who was the fastest. Atsumu remembered thinking he had Osamu beat, when suddenly he caught his foot on the squeaky flooring. He tumbled down and hit the ground. He looked up, only to see Osamu with a victorious smile on his face. Ugh. He was lent a hand from a stranger, and he got up slowly. Atsumu looked down at his clothes and brushed all the dust off. He was about to walk towards Osamu and claim that he was cheating when he heard a loud voice.

"And Hagimoto with the kill! That's four points in a row, thanks to the Osaka Blazers' middle blocker!"

Atsumu turned around curiously, and found himself staring at a television screen in a store window. He walked closer, and found that the television had some sort of sports game playing. It kind of looked like... soccer? No... Basketball? Nope, not that either. The players were playing on a court roughly the size of a basketball court, but there was a tall net in the middle. They seemed to be in timeout. He watched as everyone walked back out on the court. There were six people on each side. Each person was occupying a section of the court. He watched as one of the players was handed a ball and moved out of the court. Where was he going? The player then tossed the ball into the air and smacked it. Atsumu watched in shock as the ball whizzed past the players on the other side and landed inside the court. The player yelled in celebration, and Atsumu was tempted to yell with him. That was amazing!

The player did the same thing again, but this time the other team got it up. They hit the ball off their arms in a high arc, and then another person jumped up and brought his hands up over his head. What was he doing? It looked like he was passing to the ball to a teammate. Atsumu swore he blinked, and then the ball was on the ground. He gasped aloud. That was amazing! So fast! Like boom! Who was-

"Oi Atsumu come on" Osamu's voice broke him out of his thoughts. His brother tugged on his arm, and he felt annoyance course through him. "Shut up, I'm watching this," he said, turning back to the screen. He watched as the team celebrated, and the camera zoomed in on the player that passed the ball.

"That's the Blazers' famous quick attack!" 

"Setter Sakai Minato does it again! Such accuracy and precision for a rookie!"

He was a rookie?!?! No way. He was so good! And the way he sent the ball to his teammates was amazing! 

"For those of you just tuning in, we are broadcasting the Blazers' first home match against the Pythons! They currently have a 2-0 set lead, and are ten points away from winning!"

The game continued and the brothers watched as Sakai continued to put up perfect sets and gain points for the team. One point, the first pass was right on top of the net. He watched as Sakai jumped up and got ready to set the ball. How was he going to set the ball without touching the net? Atsumu wasn't super knowledgable about volleyball, but he could assume that touching the net was some sort of violation. He watched with bated breath as Sakai's hands went to touch the ball- Wait... they got the point? Atsumu had been watching the whole time, and yet he still didn't see how the ball got to the other side.

"Setter Sakai laughs in the face of the opposing middle blocker!"

"Let's see a quick replay.."

The footage was played again, but in slow motion. Sakai went up to set the ball, and at the last second, he brought his left hand up and pushed the ball to the other side. 

"That's a setter dump, folks! One of Sakai's specialties!"

He heard Osamu chuckle. "Bro did ya hear what they called that-"

Atsumu was too engrossed in watching the TV screen to even notice. Sakai was... _amazing_. He tricked opposing blockers, he tore down walls for his spikers. The setter.

He felt a hand grip his shoulder, and he flinched. He turned around, only to be met with his parents' furious faces. Oops. 

He remembered zoning out during their parent's scolding session. Volleyball was so cool! It looked so fun! Maybe his school had a team...

Later on in the day, his parents would learn how impressed Atsumu was with the match. He talked about how the ball went "Whoosh!" and "Bam!". He researched everything he could about volleyball. The rules of the game, the positions, teams... He found that the Osaka Blazers had uploaded their previous games to a streaming site. Before he knew it, Atsumu had watched all of their games. All of the players were so great! But as much as he loved watching the other players, nothing could compare to watching Sakai Minato. 

Atsumu's obsession with Sakai Minato grew after that. His room turned into a Sakai shrine. Posters and jerseys adorned the walls. His comforter was red, and had a volleyball print on it. His phone lock screen was a picture of Sakai jumping up for a set. His home screen was a selca the player had taken last month. He knew everything about him:his birthday, favorite color, grade school, zodiac sign, height. Everything there was to know about Sakai, Atsumu knew. 

Looking back, if he hadn't been blinded by hormones and sheer obliviousness, he would've noticed that he had a crush on Sakai. But, he never really thought about it that way. He was an amazing player: super athletic and nimble. He was also really nice to his fans. He was kinda cute with his messy black hair, warm brown eyes, soft smile, crazy laugh-

It had gotten to the point where Atsumu idolized Sakai. After all, he started playing volleyball because of Sakai. Osamu joined him too. The two of them soon became a formidable duo: "The Miya Twins", as some liked to call them. Atsumu basked in the attention, while Osamu brushed it off. Atsumu was playing for himself, not for some stupid fan club. He became incredibly dedicated to the sport, going early and leaving late to practices. He dragged Osamu with him whenever he went...

Maybe that was why they had that argument. Atsumu would remember that day for the rest of his life. It was the worst argument they had ever had. 

It was a quiet evening in September. Atsumu had been chilling in his room, watching a volleyball game. He had practice with the other third years that morning, and he was pretty exhausted. 

Said emotional breakdown was the worst Atsumu had ever seen his brother. He remembered walking into his brother's room to ask him something about homework, when the words he was about to say caught in his mouth. Osamu looked _horrible_.

His brother's eyes were red and puffy from crying. He looked incredibly fidgety, and his hands seemed to be shaking. He looked up at Atsumu, tears streaming down his face, and Atsumu felt something in his chest. Something about seeing his brother cry was just... unsettling. Osamu never cried. He showed emotion even less than Atsumu did. So to see him in such a disheveled state... Atsumu knew something was terribly wrong.

Osamu sniffled, effectively jarring him out of his thoughts. Atsumu ran over, and started asking him questions. 

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"Do I need to kick someone's ass?"

Atsumu was hoping that he needed to kick someone's ass. He had a lot of pent-up anger and frustration just waiting to be released. To his disappointment, Osamu didn't say he had to fight someone. Rather, he didn't say anything. Atsumu looked over to his brother and was about to chew him off for ignoring him when he noticed the expression on his face. He had never seen someone look so empty.

Osamu's face was blank. His eyes were glazed over, and he was staring intensely at the wall. Atsumu waved his hands in front of his brother's face, but he still did not react. He eventually lost patience and slapped him on the shoulder, hard. 

"Finally, ye stop ignoring me!" he exclaimed. "Why are you crying?"

"Tsumu.. I..."

"Spit it out!" 

"I'm not going to play pro volleyball"

 _What?_ Osamu wasn't playing...? No, he must have misheard him. Osamu liked volleyball just as much as he did. Maybe he-

"Tsumu?"

Atsumu looked at Osamu, who had a serious expression on his face. "I'm not playing volleyball after this year"

Atsumu had never felt such a strong overwhelming urge to punch his brother in the face then he did in that moment. But, he somehow had the self-restrain to walk out of the room. Granted, he shut the door loudly. But he didn't punch Osamu! He got back to his room and burrowed under the covers. Was he dreaming? That would explain a lot. Atsumu pinched himself, but nothing happened. Damn it.

Osamu... Osamu wasn't- He couldn't even think about it. He turned on his phone and started texting some of his friends, in an effort to distract himself from what just happened. It was working brilliantly until he got a text from his coach.

~Congrats Atsumu! You've been invited to the All-Japan Training Camp! ~

He read the message over, and then read it again. And again. And again. 

He was going to the national training camp?! He was so excited to play with other talented players. Atsumu loved getting the opportunity to set for different hitters, and this camp had some of the best hitters in the nation! Oh man, he had to tell his parents! He'd tell them at dinner. That'd be a great surprise!

Soon dinnertime came around, and Atsumu was starving. He raced to the table and sat down. His parents looked at him and chuckled. "What are you in such a hurry for?"

"I have exciting news"

"Can it wait until we finish preparing dinner?"

"I guess" 

Those five minutes were the longest five minutes Atsumu had ever waited. He sat there so long it felt like he was aging! By the time the food was ready and everyone sat down, it was almost eight! Atsumu groaned. "Say your thanks," his parents scolded. He muttered his thanks and immediately banged his fists onto to the table.

"I have something to tell ye all! And I've been waiting for too long, so here goes!"

"I was invited to the All-Japan Training Camp!" 

Silence. His parents looked up at him in shock. Osamu nearly choked on his food. Atsumu grinned widely. "Son, that's amazing!" his mother said, breaking the silence. "Well done, son!" his father added in. "That's a huge accomplishment, and you should be very proud," Atsumu puffed out his chest. He looked over to Osamu, and gloated: "Oi aren't ye proud of me?"

"Yeah" Osamu muttered. Atsumu noticed his annoyed expression, but he didn't care. It wasn't often that he got to do something that Osamu didn't, so naturally he was going to rub it in a bit.

"I bet you're soooo jealous! Hey, just wait until you see all the awesome hitters that are going to be there! Oh man! It's okay, Osamu! You can go ahead and cry, I don't mind! I know you want to! Come on-"

"SHUT UP" Osamu shouted. Everyone at the table turned to look at him in surprise. 

"I'm not playing pro volleyball anymore"

"WHAT? Sorry, I couldn't hear you! I'm just too busy celebrating! Haha! Must be nice right? I bet you wish you were in my place-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP" Osamu yelled. Their parents gasped. Osamu hardly ever yelled, so they knew it must be bad. Atsumu, on the other hand, was still ignoring him. He could live in his glory for a bit longer. 

"Man, that sucks for you! Have fun at practice! I'll be in Tokyo, doing-"

"CAN YE SHUT YER FUCKIN MOUTH FOR ONCE YA DIMWIT!" Osamu shouted at the top of his lungs. His brother seemed really angry, so Atsumu stopped talking. 

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE STUPID CAMP! I REALLY COULDN'T CARE LESS! I'M NOT EVEN PLAYING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL ANYWAYS!"

Wait, WHAT? Osamu wasn't playing volleyball anymore??

"I TOLD YE THAT THIS MORNING DUMBASS" Osamu said.

Atsumu ran to the side of the table and punched his brother in the face. Blood was dripping down Osamu's face. Osamu reached up, grabbed his shoulders, and flipped him onto the ground. At that moment, their father grabbed Atsumu. Atsumu tried so hard to get out of his father's grip, but his grip was like iron. He kept squirming for a while, until he realized that his father wasn't going to let go.

"That's it" their mother said. "The both of you are staying in this room until you work things out. Be mature and figure it out," she continued. Their father grabbed their mother's hand, and they walked away.

The two sat in silence for a long time. It was at times like these that Atsumu didn't wish they were so stubborn. Neither of them wanted to apologize. Twenty minutes passed, then forty, then an hour... Atsumu grew more impatient by the second. After two hours, he couldn't take it anymore. Atsumu was about to say something, but then Osamu spoke. "I made up my mind a long time ago," What? He had known this whole time?? Atsumu was ready to smack some sense into him. "WHY-"

Osamu continued, completely ignoring Atsumu's spluttering: "You're so confident that you'll be happier than me! Why can't you just be happy for me?"

"I..."

"All my life, I've been following you around Tsumu. The only thing I've ever done to be different from you was dye my hair. I'm tired of living like this. I'm tired of it,"

"But you love volleyball!" Atsumu whispered disbelievingly. Granted, he loved it a bit more, but still! Osamu and him had been playing together for years! "We were supposed to go pro together... We were supposed to be the Miya Twins!"

"We already are the Miya Twins, Tsumu." Osamu said, frustration evident in his voice. "I'm not playing volleyball after this year. Cooking is my passion!"

"COOKING? SERIOUSLY? YER GIVING UP VOLLEYBALL FOR COOKING? DO YOU WANT TO BE A HOUSEWIFE?" Atsumu shouted. 

A loud crack resounded throughout the dining room. Osamu pulled his hand back, and grabbed Atsumu by his shirt collar. 

"Don't you dare say that again," Osamu whispered threateningly. "Yer lucky I'm a nice person, otherwise you'd be kissing the ground at my feet,"

And with that, his brother walked away. Atsumu sat there, hand on his cheek, in utter shock. So many emotions were coursing through him. Anger, regret, sadness... He didn't know what to feel.

Even after their half-assed apologies, Atsumu was never the same. He began to sink into a pit of sadness and despair. His grades started slipping. He stopped talking to his friends. He ditched classes. He did many things that were very uncharacteristic of him.

It had gotten so bad that his parents had been called in for a meeting with the school. Atsumu waited outside, messing around with the strings on his jacket. It was so stupid that he had this meeting. He wasn't failing any classes, so what was the big deal? Ditching a couple classes is a pretty ordinary occurrence. 

The next thing he knew, he was at home, getting yelled at by his parents. Atsumu swore he had never heard his mother sound so disappointed. He felt ashamed. How could he do this to them? His father looked equally as disappointed, but a bit worried too. He felt bad for making them worry about him. "Don't worry, I'll fix this," he reassured them. "You'd better," his father replied. Atsumu got up and started the walk of shame towards Osamu's room. He paused right outside the door. He hesitated. There's no way Osamu would be happy to see him. But, he wanted them to be brothers again. He wanted his best friend back. A blow to his pride was a small price to pay for making things right with Osamu. 

He knocked on the door. "Osamu!" he said when Osamu opened the door. "I-" Osamu shut the door back in his face. Well, Atsumu was expecting that. It still hurt though. Atsumu swallowed his pride, and knocked again. Osamu came to the door, and was about to shut it again when Atsumu decided to rant:

"Osamu I just wanted to say I'm.. I'm sorry. I've been a jerk lately and I apologize. To be completely honest, I'm scared to go without ya. We've been doing things as a duo for so long, that I don't know how I'm going to do this alone," Atsumu said. He looked over at Osamu, and saw that Osamu's jaw was dropped. He could probably catch some flies in there, Atsumu pondered. 

"I'm also... a bit scared for ya. I want ya to succeed and I'm worried you're gonna do something you may regret," he finished. Osamu managed to close his mouth, and nodded to him. "I'm a bit scared too. But I've thought a lot about it, and I'm confident that I'll be happy" his brother said. "Well, as long as yer happy, I'm happy for you," Atsumu said. 

"Yer never alone," Osamu whispered. He then pulled Atsumu into a hug. Atsumu was stiff at first, but then hugged him back. It was kind of ... nice. "Love ya" Atsumu replied. He felt Osamu chuckle a bit. "Oi, I'm trying to be nice for once!" he said exasperatedly. "Love ya too I guess" Osamu said, squeezing him gently before letting go. "I guess? What does that mean? Do you know how long I spent rehearsing that speech?? All for an _"I guess"_?" he complained. The two of them laughed about that for a while. After that, everything went back to normal. 

Once they completed high school, they went on to university. University wasn't actually that fun, but they managed to get through it. Then Osamu founded his own restaurant, and Atsumu made it to the professional volleyball league. Atsumu would never say it out loud, but he was glad his brother was happy. He was a bit worried about him in the beginning.

Since their careers took off, they hadn't had much time for romantic relationships. So, when the two of them saw an ad for The Bachelor, they decided to go for it. Atsumu was curious to see who, if either of them, would make the cut. He got a letter in the mail a couple weeks later saying he would be on the show. He ran over to Osamu's room, and showed him the letter. Osamu then pulled out the same letter, and Atsumu wallowed in despair. Not only did he have to compete with twelve guys for the Bachelor's attention, but he had to go against his own brother too?? Speaking of the bachelor... 

Hinata was great. He was amazing. He somehow looked better in real life than he did in the pictures the staff showed him, if that was even possible. He was nice and sweet, and very energetic. Atsumu had just met him, and yet he already felt like Hinata was the one. His person. His soulmate. 

Atsumu continued to lead Hinata around, weaving through gardens and fountains, until they reached the spot he found earlier. They were standing in a secluded grotto, filled with beautiful plants. Fairy lights were strung over their heads. And... a bed. 

Atsumu had no intentions of actually *doing things* on the bed, but he was looking forward to Hinata's reaction. He put his hands over Hinata's eyes, and then did a dramatic reveal. Hinata went "Gwah!", which Atsumu took to be a good sign. He chuckled at Hinata's surprised face. "It's so pretty! I love the lights!" Hinata said.

"Anything for you sweetheart," he replied. He looked down at Hinata, and smirked when he saw Hinata's cheeks turn pink. He's so pretty, Atsumu thought to himself. Especially tonight.

Hinata's red hair was a bit tousled-probably because of that Kageyama, Atsumu wanted to murder him- and messy, but in an artful way. His suit was still in pristine condition, hugging the man's figure nicely. He had the sleeves rolled up, showing off his tanned forearms. Freckles were spread all over Hinata's face and arms, and Atsumu was willing to bet he had them all over his chest too. He wondered how soft his skin was-

The redhead caught him staring and Atsumu looked away quickly. Now it was his turn to blush. Hinata walked around and looked at all the flowers. He then stopped in front of the bed. "You like it?" he asked How he managed to act so confident, he wasn't sure. He was dying of nerves. 

"If you wanted to sleep with me, you should've just asked," Hinata looked up at him, smirk on his face. Shit. He was in so much trouble. He shouldn't kiss him.. He shouldn't kiss him... They needed to get to know each other first! They'd hardly had a real conversation!

Hinata laughed, and Atsumu felt his blush come back. The pair stared at each other for a while... Atsumu could feel the tension in the air. Hinata stared at him, and then licked his lips. Atsumu found himself following the movement. Hinata looked at him, and raised his eyebrows, challenging him. All of Atsumu's self restraint went flying out the window. 

He reached out and grabbed Hinata's collar, yanking him towards him. Atsumu pressed his lips against Hinata's. Hinata was stiff, and Atsumu was about to pull away when he felt the redhead's hands around his waist. He took that as a sign to keep going, and threaded his hands through Hinata's hair. It was just as soft as it looked. God, he had been wanting to do that all day. 

He felt Hinata pushing him back towards the bed. Atsumu bit Hinata's lower lip, effectively distracting him. Then, he whipped him around and shoved him down on the bed. Hinata let out a surprised squeak. Atsumu pinned his wrists over his head and continued kissing him. The redhead let out a pained whimper, and Atsumu loosened his grip a bit. After a minute or so, he stopped to gather his breath. He looked down at Hinata. Hinata looked.... like an angel. His cheeks were flushed, making his freckles stand out against his tan skin. His red hair was somehow was even more messy. He had a soft smile on his face.

Atsumu looked down at Hinata's neck, and Hinata followed his gaze. "Can I..."

Silence. Did he go too far? He felt awful for making Hinata feel so uncomfortable-

"Yes"

Atsumu leaned down and began to suck on the skin harshly. Hinata's eyelashes fluttered, and he felt the redhead's fingers through his hair. Atsumu nipped at his skin gently, and heard Hinata groan. He got lost in the feeling. So lost that he didn't even know how many he gave Hinata. Some time later, he sat back up. Atsumu knew he wasn't the best at giving hickeys, but he made sure they were in the right place: above his shirt collar. Where everyone could see.

He must have been laughing, because Hinata looked up at him questioningly. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Nothing," Atsumu replied, smiling innocently. He leaned in and softly kissed him. When they broke apart, Atsumu glanced at Hinata's neck. The marks were turning red fast. Good. He smirked. 

They talked for a bit, and then Atsumu held Hinata's arm and walked back into the mansion. All of a sudden, Hinata jolted to a stop. Atsumu looked over at him, confused as to why he stopped walking. The redhead was looking in a mirror in the hallway. Ah, he must've noticed, Atsumu thought to himself.

"Gwahhh there's so many!!" Hinata complained, "why are there so many??"

Atsumu met his gaze and said: "I want all of them to know..."

_"that you're mine"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is it spicyyyyy
> 
> I'm pretty happy with how this chapter turned out!! it was a lot longer than expected. I will say that I am new to writing the more *sexual* tings so I apologize if those moments are cringey
> 
> Follow me on twitter!
> 
> next chapter coming in a week or so!


	7. still don't know my name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! i apologize for the wait on this chapter. i am a pre-med student so... my workload has been catching up to me. this past week was a nightmare. but, it's finally over !!! idk how i survived, tbh
> 
> anyways... another long chapter! woooo!! I'm really doing it guys
> 
> introducing a new character pov in this chapter... hehe
> 
> i'm going to shut up now. enjoy the chapter!
> 
> tw: panic attack (if you'd like to skip that part, stop reading at "Because I hurt you" and continue reading at "I'm sorry"

**brit** @britbrit04 ~1 min ago

THE LOVE BITE ASGBLGBSUIGFLGW

100 comments | 342 retweets | 738 likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo~30 sec ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

I am going FERAL

3 comments | 4 retweets | 9 likes

**a** @shosho7~ 15 sec ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

atsumu: one, literally everyone else : zero

1 comment | 4 retweets |9 likes

\----------------------------------

Atsumu guided Hinata back to the main room, hand on his shoulder. Once they walked in, Atsumu could feel everyone staring at them. He heard a couple sharp intakes of breath, and he assumed that they had seen the marks on Hinata's neck. Good. 

The suitors looked over at Atsumu, and he could feel their jealousy and anger. The tension in the air was extremely thick. He felt their cold stares boring into his back. The golden-haired man sat down and watched as everyone tried to talk to Hinata. He grabbed a drink and started downing it. If he was going to deal with the other suitors for the rest of the night, he would need some alcohol. 

"Hey"

"Hm?" Atsumu said, turning to find the voice. It belonged to the man sitting next to him. He had dyed blonde hair and golden eyes, like a cat. He seemed to be holding some sort of gaming device. 

"Hey..." Atsumu replied hesitantly. The man seemed to be nice enough, but he wasn't really here to make friends. Oh well. 

"What's your name?" the stranger asked him. 

"Atsumu, what's yours?"

"Kenma"

"Nice to meet you Kenma," Atsumu said, smile on his face. He must be the one obsessed with video games, judging by the game console he had in his hands. "What game are you playing?"

"Animal Crossing"

"Sounds fun" Atsumu said.

"I have another game that's fun," Kenma whispered. Atsumu watched as he shut off his gaming console. "Okay.." Atsumu replied. He wasn't really interested in making friends, to be honest. Atsumu would much rather spend time with Hinata than with all of the desperate bastards in the room. It's not like any of them had a chance. He was the only one for Hinata-

"It's called Fuck Off," Kenma said lightly. Atsumu looked at him in anger.

"Excuse me?!"

"The rules are really simple!" Kenma teased, "you back off..." Atsumu sighed. There really wasn't a single person here that he liked. Just as he started to tolerate Kenma, he says something stupid like that. 

"and stop acting like such a prick" Kenma finished. Atsumu was seething. 

He was about to confront the blonde when he noticed him get up. Atsumu watched as Kenma weaved his way around the room, until he found Hinata. He wrapped an arm around Hinata's waist and whispered something in his ear. Hinata blushed and looked down. The smooth bastard. 

\---------------------

Kenma was annoyed. Something about Atsumu Miya just rubbed him the wrong way. He was apparently very talented at making him frustrated. When Hinata walked in, his neck looking like he got mauled by a bear, and then Atsumu walked in behind him... Kenma knew something was up.

He knew from the smug look on the golden-haired man's face. Hinata, on the other hand, had the grace to look embarrassed. Kenma sat down on the couch facing the door, trying his best to distract himself.

Kenma was about to get up and make his way over to Hinata when he felt someone sit next to him. He looked over, and met the gaze of none other than Atsumu Miya. Ugh. Kenma tried his best to muster a disinterested expression on his face. It didn't work very well, because he felt the other man staring at him. So, he just decided to bite the bullet and introduce himself.

The two talked for a bit, and Kenma was getting more annoyed by the second. After a couple minutes, he lost his patience and told Atsumu to fuck off, then proceeded to walk away. Kenma was mad.

Mad that Atsumu was an asshole. Mad that Hinata might actually be attracted to the jerk. Mad because he thought Hinata liked _him._ Mad that he let that piss haired rat of a human being make him act so petty.

He stormed over to Hinata, bumping shoulders and jostling people. He ignored all the dirty looks they sent him and stood next to Hinata. He put a hand around his waist and whispered in Hinata's ear:

"Wanna get out of here?"

Kenma didn't even wait for a response from Hinata before he was dragging him outside. He tightened his wrist around Hinata and started walking down the hallway.

"Oi, Kenma"

Kenma looked at Hinata's neck. It was covered in purple and red marks. That must have been painful, he pondered. Wouldn't one or two have sufficed? Surely Hinata hadn't enjoyed that, had he?!

"Kenma!"

He hated it here. He hated having to compete for Hinata's affection. He hated having to be assertive. It just wasn't who he was. Even arguing with Atsumu left him with a sour taste in his mouth.

"Kenma!!"

Kenma halted and looked over at Hinata. "That hurts," Hinata whispered. Kenma immediately snatched his hands back and shoved them in his pockets. 

"I'm sorry," he said. He truly was. He felt like such a horrible person, allowing himself to get jealous like that. He apologized again and walked away briskly, ignoring Hinata calling his name behind him. He kept walking for a while until he found a room he hadn't been in before. It seemed to be some sort of lounge, and it had a huge TV for video games and a pool table. If Kenma weren't in such a rotten mood, maybe he would be excited. But he was too busy mentally berating himself to notice that it was a gamer's paradise.

Instead he slumped on the couch in the center of the room. He sat there in silence for a while, willing himself not to cry. It worked for about thirty seconds, until he felt tears streaming down his face. Kenma felt like such a terrible person. He had been so possessed with jealousy that he hadn't even noticed he was hurting Hinata. God, why was he even here? It was clear that Hinata wouldn't like him... Hinata was way too good for him! The redhead was incredibly nice and sweet, and he always went out of his way to converse with him. As antisocial as Kenma knew he was, Hinata still engaged him in conversation. Whether it be about video games or their families... anything and everything. Kenma found it incredibly easy to talk to Hinata. 

Not to mention, Hinata was gorgeous. Whenever Hinata looked at him, Kenma always blushed and looked away. He was too pretty for his own good. But, that wasn't even what really attracted him to Hinata (although it was certainly a bonus). No, it was the bond they shared that made Kenma have these feelings. Hinata was just so easy to talk to, and sometimes Kenma felt as if the redhead could read his mind. The two of them were so different, and yet their personalities blended together. They balanced each other out. Kenma felt as if Hinata was his soulmate, and that was what scared him. He had never felt that strongly about anyone in his entire life. 

Tears continued to stream down his face as he thought of the events that transpired earlier. He really just ruined his chance, didn't he? The one person that he had feelings for, and he made them hate him! Honestly, why did he even bother? He was way out of Hinata's league to begin with. 

"Kenma?" 

He turned, and saw Hinata in the doorway. A sudden spike of guilt coursed through him. "Go away," he said weakly, putting his head in his hands.

Hinata completely ignored him, and continued to walk into the room. He then plopped down on the couch next to Kenma, and turned to face him. Kenma still couldn't meet his gaze. "Go away,"

"Why?" Hinata asked softly. "You shouldn't be near me,"

"Why?"

"Because I hurt you,"

Kenma felt Hinata's hand on his shoulder, and something in him just snapped. All the pent up emotions just came flooding out of him in one ugly wave. He felt his chest seize up, and his breathing grew sharp and fast. He felt his heart racing, and he just couldn't calm down.

He felt like he was about to die.

"Kenma" 

His breathing was so fast, he started hyperventilating. He could feel his hands shaking. 

"Kenma, breathe"

He felt Hinata reach out and hold his hand gently. Kenma felt a brief sense of calm.

"Hey, it's okay Kenma. Just focus on your breathing"

In. Out. In. Out.

"You're doing great, keep it up"

In. Out. In. Out.

"Almost there,"

Hinata's voice was like a light in the end of a dark tunnel. Somehow, just Hinata's presence was enough for him to calm down. He felt his hands trembling, and the redhead squeezed them reassuringly. 

A couple minutes passed, and Kenma's breathing was back to normal. He looked over to Hinata, and saw his worried expression. He suddenly felt regret course through him. 

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be sorry Kenma," Hinata reassured him, "it's not your fault,". He felt Hinata squeeze his hand again, and he was overcome with affection. Hinata was just so... perfect. He was so understanding and compassionate, and the redhead treated him the same as he always would. Kenma remembered that some of his friends would look at him weirdly after a panic attack, and it always left him feeling guilty. 

Hinata's voice jarred him out of his thoughts: "Wanna play Mario Kart?" Kenma looked up quickly. He must have had an excited look on his face, because Hinata laughed. He blushed and looked away.

After they set the game up, the two of them started to play. Hinata was actually pretty good at Mario Kart, Kenma pondered. Unfortunately for him though, Kenma was practically a professional gamer. Hinata's shrieks echoed throughout the room. "HOW?!?!"

Kenma snorted. "I'm just that good," he smirked. 

"SHUT UP! EIGHTEEN RACES AND I DIDN'T WIN A SINGLE ONE!"

"Hinata it's not that big of a deal-

"THIS IS SO HUMILIATING"

"But it was fun though," Kenma blurted out. He realized he said that out loud, and coughed subtly. Hinata seemed to have heard him though. "Yeah, it was!" the redhead agreed. Kenma sighed in in relief. 

"Thanks for helping me,"

"No problem," Hinata said sweetly.

"You know..." Kenma remarked. "I don't cry in front of people usually,"

"Huh," Hinata replied. "I guess I should feel honored then,"

"I'm embarrassed,"

"Don't worry Kenma, you're pretty even when you cry"

Kenma glanced over at Hinata, and the two stared at each other for a few seconds. For whatever reason, he was fighting the urge to laugh. What Hinata said sounded so cliche, like something straight out of a rom-com. Before he knew it, he was chuckling. He turned to Hinata and saw the bewildered expression on his face, and he started laughing even harder.

"Hinata, that was so _cheesy_ "

"Hey!" Hinata whined, only making Kenma laugh harder. He felt a pillow hit him straight in the face. He glanced furiously at Hinata, only to see him with a cheeky grin on his face. Kenma grabbed the pillow and tried to whack Hinata with it. Hinata was a bit smaller than him, so it wasn't very hard to pin him down. He raised the pillow, and hit Hinata right in the face. He heard a small "oof" and started chuckling. 

Hinata threw the pillow to the side, and the two of them stared at each other for a while. It felt so.. intimate. He was leaning over Hinata, his hands on either side of the redhead. Hinata looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face. The tension grew in between them, and Kenma swore he could feel the air thicken. He then realized something and quickly sat back up. Hinata had bruises forming on his wrists.

"Hey Shoyo,"

"What- wait...."

"What?" Kenma asked in confusion. Did he say something wrong?

"You called me Shoyo," Hinata replied disbelievingly.

"Oh oops-"

"I like it," Hinata smiled. Kenma felt himself grin back. Hinata's smile was so cute. He looked so adorable, Kenma just wanted to hug him. Imagine waking up to that in the morning, Kenma pondered. That messy red hair... His voice low and raspy from sleep...

"Kenma?"

"Huh?" Kenma said eloquently.

"You were saying something, right?"

"Oh yeah..." he replied. He knew what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure if he had the courage to say it.

"Um..." It's now or never...

"I'm really sorry about earlier. I was so caught up in jealousy that I didn't even notice I was hurting you"

"Kenma-"

"I felt like I crossed boundaries. I hope that I didn't make you uncomfortable.."

"Kenma-"

"I won't-"

_"Kenma!"_

Kenma's voice cut off, and he stared at Hinata in disbelief. Was he really that mad about it? Kenma didn't think he was feeling that uncomfortable, but clearly he didn't read the situation right.

"I don't mind"

Wait... WHAT? Kenma felt his jaw drop, and his eyes widened. He stared at Hinata, a million things running through his head. Was he hearing things? Did Shoyo just say that he... didn't mind him being jealous? No, no way. He had to be hearing things.

"What?"

"I don't mind,"

Was this all some cruel joke? Kenma looked Hinata in the eye, but all he saw complete sincerity.

"It's kind of hot when you're jealous-"

He crashed his lips against Shoyo's. While their first kiss had been soft and gentle, this one was anything but. Kenma bit the bottom of Hinata's lip harshly, and the redhead groaned softly. Kenma moved his hands down to Hinata's waist. He looked so pretty. So pretty. Flushed cheeks.. marks on his neck... pink swollen lips... 

Wait. Marks all over his neck? Kenma certainly didn't put those there.

Suddenly, an idea pops into his head-

"Mind if I give you some more of those?" he said, glancing down at his neck. Shoyo shook his head rapidly, and Kenma smiled. 

"If you say so"

\-----------------------

Shit. 

Hinata was in.. well... an interesting situation. 

He had never seen Kenma act like that before. Kenma had always been kind of timid and withdrawn, so when he felt himself getting yanked out of the room by the blonde he was very confused. He was holding his wrists in a tight grip, and Hinata winced. Eventually he spoke up about it, but he immediately regretted it. Kenma withdrew his hands extremely fast, and his face fell. He looked so.. sad.

The next thing he knew, Kenma was walking away from him. He had tried to call after him, but it didn't work. Instead, Hinata decided to try to follow him. He did eventually find Kenma, but it was far too late. 

When Hinata walked into the room, he felt his stomach drop. Kenma was sitting on the couch, head in his hands. He was sniffling quietly, and Hinata felt a rush of guilt. This was all his fault! He was such an idiot! 

He sat down and tried reaching out to Kenma, and Kenma's breaths grew ragged. He saw the blonde's hands trembling. Hinata was scared. He didn't ever want for Kenma to feel like this. He tried his best to help Kenma through it, and eventually he calmed down. Kenma thanked him, but Hinata brushed it off. In all honesty, he hadn't really felt like he had done anything to help. The two of them played Mario Kart for a while, and Hinata realized something: Kenma was _really_ good at video games. He won every single race they had played. Hinata wasn't a professional gamer or anything, but he thought of himself as a pretty good player. But when he was playing against Kenma, there was simply no competition. 

The next couple minutes, Hinata and Kenma talked. Kenma apologized again, but Hinata brushed it off. It wasn't his fault! Panic attacks aren't something you can control, he pondered to himself. 

One pillow fight later, he found himself laying on the couch, with Kenma towering over him. He felt himself blush. The two stared at each other for a while, and Hinata thought Kenma was going to do something before he got up. Hinata tried to hide his disappointment. 

Kenma suddenly started apologizing again. Hinata was confused at first, but when he looked down at his wrists, he realized why the blonde was apologizing. Bruises were forming on his wrists in the shape of a hand. Hinata tried to reassure Kenma that he didn't care, but Kenma just wouldn't listen. Before he knew it, he was blurting out how he thought Kenma was hot. Oops.

Kenma had a strange expression on his face. He looked like he was confused and happy at the same time? Hinata almost wished he hadn't heard him. Kenma asked him to repeat himself, and he did, albeit begrudgingly. 

Hinata watched as Kenma shamelessly looked up and down his body. It was kind of embarrassing, to be honest. He was about to tell Kenma to cut it out when he saw a frown appear on the blonde's face. Hinata followed his gaze, and realized he was staring at his neck. Shit. He had completely forgotten about that..

The next thing he knew, Kenma's lips were on his neck. He felt the blonde's teeth graze his neck lightly, and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from making any sounds. He carded his finger through Kenma''s hair. It was so soft. He briefly wondered if he could braid it...

He was distracted by Kenma moving down to his collarbone. "Shit Kenma-" he groaned, only for Kenma to smirk at him playfully. Kenma continued to suck at his neck. Why is he so good at this, Hinata thought to himself. He's better than Atsumu-

Kenma nipped at his skin and Hinata couldn't stop himself from letting out a tiny moan. Ugh. It was just so embarrassing...

"You shouldn't do that," Kenma muttered.

"Why?" Hinata found himself asking,

"Because...

_"I won't be able to control myself"_

\-----------------------

 **sophie** @1luvh1nata~ 4 min ago

KENHINA KENHINA KENHINA KENHINA KENHINA 

30 comments | 210 retweets | 345 likes

**brit** @britbrit04~ 4 min ago

_in response to @1luvh1nata_

I didn't ship them before but now..... 

1 comment | 0 retweets | 4 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~ 3 min ago

welp I'm screwed

4 comments | 0 retweets | 7 likes

**ang** \--roadworkahead~ 2 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

???

1 comment | 0 retweets | 1 like

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~1 min ago

_in response to @roadworkahead_

you'll see don't worry

5 comments | 0 retweets | 6 likes

\------------------------

Terushima was having a great time.

Well, that was a lie. He felt like he was awaiting his doom. He had been dreading the rose ceremony all day. He just had a weird feeling about it. Honestly, he probably wouldn't be getting a rose. While he liked Hinata, he just felt like Hinata didn't like him as much. They had some good conversations, but they weren't very meaningful. Terushima could tell that some of the other suitors were connecting with Hinata a lot better. He noticed that whenever Hinata came back from talking with gamer boy, piss hair, and spiky hair (he couldn't remember his name... maybe it started with an I?) he was always smiling.

Ukai's voice broke him out of his reverie. "Welcome to the first rose ceremony of the season!" Everyone looked around, guarded expressions on their faces.

Hinata stood at the front of the room. "Hinata, there are 10 roses in front of you. Ushijima Wakatoshi received the first impression rose, leaving 11 suitors without a rose. One suitor will be going home tonight,"

Hinata stepped forward, and grabbed a rose out of the basket. Terushima watched as Hinata scanned the room, looking at all the suitors. He met Hinata's eyes briefly, but as soon as he did Hinata moved his gaze to someone else. That wasn't a good sign.

"Kenma"

Terushima watched as gamer boy walked towards Hinata. Hinata pinned the rose on his lapel, and Kenma gave him a quick hug. He watched as the man made his way back to where he was standing. He had a soft smile on his face. 

"Iwaizumi"

That was his name. Black spiky hair. Well, him getting a rose wasn't exactly surprising. It seemed that him and Hinata were close from the beginning. 

"Sakusa"

Terushima watched as a dark haired man walked up to Hinata to receive his rose. He felt a brief pang of jealousy, followed by regret. He really fucked up. He should've gotten to know Hinata better. Terushima hated to admit it, but he joked around a bit too much. He remembered their conversation earlier that day...

Terushima had pulled Hinata outside after he had gotten back from seeing gamer boy. He could tell with just a glance that the redhead liked the other man. He had a wide smile on his face, and Terushima was envious. Why couldn't he make Hinata smile like that?

His frustration resulted in him trying to get Hinata to laugh as many times as possible throughout their conversation. He said cheesy pickup lines, stupid puns- everything he could think of! If Terushima hadn't been so focused on trying to make Hinata laugh, he would have noticed the redhead's smile becoming more and more forced. Soon, it had gotten to the point where he felt like he was talking to a wall. By the time he had realized that he should talk about something more meaningful, it was too late. Another suitor had approached Hinata, and Terushima swore he saw a relieved look appear on the redhead's face. 

After that, his mood grew significantly worse. Throughout the night, as the other suitors were getting to know each other and becoming more social, Terushima was becoming more withdrawn. He soon found himself sitting in the corner of the room, avoiding everyone. 

This behavior could've been written off as him just being an introvert, or him being anxious. But in reality, the blonde knew he was acting completely out of character. He had always been somewhat of a social butterfly, trying to talk with new people whenever he could. He supposed it was a bit of a blow to his pride. He just felt... defeated. 

"Atsumu" Ukai's voice brought Terushima out of his thoughts.

Hinata continued calling names until there were two people left: him and a man with warm brown hair. Terushima vaguely remembered seeing him flirting with Iwaizumi. Hopefully he wouldn't get a rose. 

"The final rose tonight. Hinata, whenever you're ready"

His heart started racing. His hands were shaking in his suit pockets. 

He tried to maintain his composure, but he was sure that he looked scared. He turned to the man next to him, only to see a confident smile on his face. Jerk. Terushima looked back over at Hinata, and they made eye contact. Hinata's eyes showed.. well... pity. Damn. It looked like he would be the one going home.

Sure enough, Hinata's voice broke the silence as he said "Oikawa". Terushima couldn't say he was shocked, but he was still disappointed. He had been looking forward to getting to know Hinata better. But ultimately it was his own fault. He didn't feel any sort of anger towards the redhead, only a sense of regret. Terushima wished he had acted more like himself. He was so caught up in having fun that he forgot the entire reason he was there in the first place, and that was his downfall.

"Terushima, I'm sorry, but you did not receive a rose. Take some time to say goodbye,"

Terushima completely ignored the other suitors standing next to him, and made his way over to Hinata. He hadn't really gotten the chance to get to know any of the other men, and thus he didn't feel that saying goodbye was necessary. When he reached Hinata, he saw that the redhead had a dejected look on his face. "I'm sorry Terushima," Hinata said. Terushima felt him wrap his arms around him for a hug. 

"Don't be sorry," Terushima replied. "I wasn't really true to myself today. I regret that I didn't... make the effort to get to know you,"

"It's okay," Hinata smiled gently, reassuring him. Terushima patted him on the back, and withdrew his arms. He whispered to Hinata: "Take care of yourself, okay?". He patted the man's shoulder and started walking away.

Terushima regretted a lot that day. But at the same time, he had learned a lot about himself. He walked out to the driveway, and saw a black limo waiting. He got inside, and looked out the window. He felt the sudden urge to cry, but no tears would come out. 

A couple hours later, Terushima found himself standing in front of his apartment. He grabbed his keys, unlocked the door, and dropped his stuff on the floor. He sank into the couch. The lonely feeling he had been trying so hard to get rid of came back in full force. He closed his eyes, running his hands through his hair.

Silence.

Sometimes, silence was deafening.

\-------------------------

 **yeehaw** @partyanimal69 ~ 30 sec ago

i fucked up.

28 comments | 0 retweets | 1 like

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's the first rose ceremony! expect some dates and drama soon ;)
> 
> kind of funny story.. my friend visited me at my school on Monday! it was super fun and he was kinda flirting w me but not? anyways.. when he left he goes "take care of yourself okay?" 🥺🥺   
> and I just decided to put it in the story AJHFIEHGFUIL
> 
> in other news I'm pretty sure I aced my chem test!! that test was the reason why I couldn't finish this chapter in time -_- (it do be my teacher's fault doe)
> 
> I drove home for the weekend so that's probably why I'm writing so much in the notes cause I'm happy
> 
> ANYWAYS  
> Follow me on twitter!
> 
> next chapter coming in a week or two (hopefully only a week and a half-ish but we'll see)


	8. falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alright, love?" 
> 
> Hinata must've been zoned out for too long, because Osamu was standing in front of him with a smirk on his face. The redhead felt his cheeks heat up, and covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. 
> 
> "Don't cover yer face," Osamu chided him, gently moving his hands from his face, "yer beautiful".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from the dead!! sorry guys... I was in a major depressive episode and had NO motivation whatsoever to write, plus school is becoming more stressful ugh. BUT! I'm not giving up on this story!!! I won't abandon it, don't worry! I'm thinking my updates until winter break will be less frequent - probably every 2 to 3 weeks. I wish I could update every week, but it's just not realistic. I've been writing longer chapters so naturally updates aren't as frequent. sorry!
> 
> anyways... to make up for the wait... here's some osahina!!!!! much fluff!!!!
> 
> thanks again for all the support, love y'all <3

Osamu was livid. He had spent the entire rose ceremony (after he had gotten his rose, of course) fantasizing about what he would eat after. He had been so nervous throughout the ceremony that he worked up a huge appetite! By the time it was over, Osamu practically sprinted into the kitchen area. The kitchen wasn't even really a kitchen- it mainly consisted of a liquor cabinet and a long bar counter. But, at least it had a stove and fridge! That was all he really needed, he thought to himself. He scoured through the contents of the fridge, pleased with what he came across. Surprisingly, there was a good amount of food in it. Probably because there was twelve of them- Osamu pondered. Well, now there was only eleven.

To be completely honest, Osamu was surprised that Terushima got eliminated. He and Hinata seemed to get along well, and Osamu had found himself starting to like the blonde. The man had a great sense of humor, and was very friendly. He had expected Ushijima to be eliminated, but he ended up getting the first impression rose... Now that was a shock. Osamu wasn't very observant, but even he knew that Hinata didn't like Ushijima. The redhead always looked incredibly uncomfortable around him. So when Hinata gave the rose to the man he didn't like, Osamu was very surprised. Enough of that, he mentally scolded himself. He made it to the next week, and that was all that mattered. Ushijima didn't matter; he was irrelevant. It was just about him and Hinata.

He continued to look through the contents of the fridge, and gasped. There was salmon! Perfect for his famous onigiri! That was his specialty, after all. Even Atsumu liked his onigiri, and Atsumu never liked anything that he did.

Speaking of the bastard, he was standing at the counter, watching Osamu gather ingredients. "So... wanna make me some?" his twin asked. "No," he replied flatly. He continued to get ingredients, tuning his brother's complaining out. After twenty six years of ignoring Atsumu, Osamu was pretty much an expert at it.

He wet and salted his hands, and then prepared the onigiri. Ever since he founded Onigiri Miya, his own onigiri restaurant, he found making onigiri to be incredibly easy. Osamu found cooking to be incredibly relaxing and stress-relieving. Whenever he had a particularly long day, he would always cook. It would always cheer him up. Even now, while millions of viewers were watching him through their TV screens, he felt relaxed and at ease. 

An hour later, Osamu found himself sitting on the couch, unable to get up. He ate _way_ too much. In his defense, he was rather hungry. And how was he supposed to know that the rice was double the portion size? Fucking billionaires, he thought to himself.

He elected to spend the rest of the night laying on that couch. But, it seemed that the universe had other plans for him. Specifically, a plan with piss-colored hair and a face significantly uglier than his own.

"Samu"

Ugh. Why couldn't Tsumu ever leave him alone? He had already spent his whole dinner with him- his twin wouldn't stop complaining, so he just gave up and gave him some onigiri. And now he wanted to bother him even more? Not happening. "Go away," he grumbled. He closed his eyes, and pretended that Atsumu wasn't standing in front of him. It worked... for about ten seconds. Osamu eventually looked up when his brother just didn't stop talking.

"What?"

Someone's voice echoed throughout the room, saving him from hearing Atsumu's reply. "There's a letter here," Osamu turned around, and saw that a man with a mask was holding said letter. He watched as everyone gathered in the main area. The man with the mask cleared his throat in annoyance. Everyone stopped talking, and waited for him to open the letter...

"Osamu," 

Everyone's heads turned to him. What? Why did he have a letter? What was it for? 

"Skate your way into Hinata's heart,"

Mask guy walked over and handed the letter to him. Osamu looked down and reread it a couple times in his head. That sounded awfully like... a date? Osamu looked to Hinata in confirmation, but he seemed to be just as confused as him. 

"Ughhh Samu how'd you get the first date?"

Osamu was hesitant to believe his idiot of a brother, but.. it did sound like a date. He smiled softly to himself. He got the first date! Him! 

\-----------------------------------------------------

**Sophie** @1luvh1nata ~ 40 min ago

oh to go on a date with hinata

34 comments | 459 retweets | 888 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~39 min ago

_in response to @1luvh1nata_

I wish

1 comment | 2 retweets | 5 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~38 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

he's even more breathtaking in person

1k comments | 78 retweets | 1.3k likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~ 37 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

have you... met him?

34 comments | 245 retweets | 655 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~ 35 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

more than just met ;0

3k comments | 1k retweets | 4k likes

**ang** @roadworkahead~ 33 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

what's he like?

20 comments | 39 retweets | 79 likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~ 33 min ago

_in response to @roadworkahead_

ethereal. he has a way of just... lighting up a room.

1k comments | 2k retweets | 10k likes

**yeehaw** @partyanimal69~ 31 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

I only wish I had taken advantage of the time I had with him. I played around too much, and it was my downfall.

2k comments | 2k retweets | 5k likes

**Sophie** @1luvh1nata~ 30 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

damn. sorry to hear that.

34 comments | 12 retweets | 56 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~ 29 min ago

_in response to @partyanimal69_

terushima? is that you?

235 comments | 1k retweets | 4k likes

**ang** @roadworkahead ~29 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

brit ily but there's no way he's terushima... he's probably just hinata's high school sweetheart or some shit

456 comments | 2k retweets | 4k likes

**brit** @britbrit04~ 28 min ago

_in response to @roadworkahead_

time for some detective work hold on

600 comments | 1k retweets | 2k likes

**brit** @britbrit04~ 23 min ago

why I think terushima yuuji is @partyanimal69: a conspiracy theory

1k comments | 5.6k retweets | 21.8k likes

**brit** @britbrit04~ 22 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

okay, so... first of all. @partyanimal69 replied to @thebachelor's tweet about first impressions, saying: "full send from terushima... respect,"

23 comments | 345 likes | 1.2k likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~ 22 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

next, when Hinata gave Ushijima the first impression rose, @partyanimal69 tweeted "something's up", indicating that Hinata's choice was a surprise. now, I'm sure all of us picked up on hinata's evident discomfort towards ushijima, but terushima was _there_. he saw more than we did. chances are, he had a feeling of who would get the rose, and then was surprised when ushijima received it.

267 comments | 1k retweets | 2k likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~ 20 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

THIRD!! @partyanimal69 tweeted "hinata likes me best period. all you other hoes are irrelevant". terushima must have been feeling like he had a good chance with hinata, at that point. plus, a fan wouldn't say that. 

240 comments | 156 retweets | 376 likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~ 19 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

okay... buckle your seatbelts folks. cause this one... this tweet...

after kenma and hinata had their *conversation*, @partyanimal69 tweeted, not even five minutes later: "welp, I'm screwed"

now.. why would a stan account say that.. and in reference to kenma and hinata? unless you were a contestant on the show, there would be no logical reason for that statement.

**brit** @britbrit04 ~17 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

this tweet is the one that sent me over the edge. ten minutes after terushima's elimination, @partyanimal69 tweets "I fucked up."

coincidence? I think not.

2k comments | 5k retweets | 10.5k likes

**brit** @britbrit04 ~13 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

anyways thanks for coming to my ted talk <3

23 comments | 34 retweets | 60 likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~ 10 min ago

okay so.. that's enough of twitter for today. i'm out

24 comments | 45 retweets | 78 likes

**a** @shosho7~ 7 min ago

terushima yuuji has a secret stan account? oh how the turned tables

197 comments | 1.4k retweets | 8k likes

\--------------------------------------------

Hinata woke up with a groan. Last night was quite long. He couldn't believe he had only been at the mansion for a _day_. He ran his hands through his hair and sat up slowly. He briefly wondered what they would do for breakfast... Was it just a free for all? He knew there was a kitchen, but he couldn't cook to save his life...

He trudged into the kitchen dejectedly, ready to make a mediocre breakfast for himself, until he stopped and saw Osamu.

"Morning, Hinata!"

"Morning!" Hinata chirped. 

The two talked for a bit, before Hinata realized that he still hadn't had breakfast. Osamu must've picked up on the gloomy expression on his face, because he asked: "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Hinata reassured him, "I just don't want to make breakfast"

"I'll make it for you,"

"That's okay, I'll do it myself,"

"Come on, you know you want it!" the gray-haired man said jokingly. "I saw the glint in your eyes!" "Fine," Hinata gave in. He watched as Osamu cheered and started running around the kitchen. More and more suitors filed into the room. 

Forty minutes later, Hinata found himself laying down on the couch next to Osamu. "I'm so fulll" he whined. Osamu chuckled and patted his head. "You're welcome," he replied jokingly.

Hinata screeched, and the other man looked at him in surprise. "We're supposed to be getting ready for our date," he whispered in shock. "Shit!" Osamu exclaimed. The redhead watched as Osamu walked to his room. He should probably do the same. He groaned dramatically and pushed himself off the couch. That breakfast was just too good, he had to eat all of it!

"Oi Shoyo-kun," a voice said, jarring him out of his thoughts. Hinata turned, and found Atsumu standing next to him. "Hi Atsumu" he replied. 

"Ye sure ye want to go with Osamu?" he asked, "we can do something instead,"

"I want to go with him!" Hinata said.

"Yer sure?"

"Yes," Hinata replied, running out of patience. He made a move to walk away but he felt Atsumu's hand on his shoulder. "Ye know ye'll have more fun with me right?" the blonde asked. 

"No, I don't think I would," Hinata snapped. He shook off Atsumu's grip and stormed off to his room. Once he got there, he threw the door open and sat down with a huff. Who did Atsumu think he was? He was being quite rude back there... which was very unlike him. The redhead understood that they were siblings, but still! It almost seemed like Atsumu was trying to ruin Osamu's chances with him. Hinata still couldn't believe that he had the audacity to ask him to ditch Osamu. As if! He would never do something so cruel. Besides, he was looking forward to his date with Osamu.

Well, whatever. He had more important things to worry about right now. Namely... what he was going to wear on this date. It sounded like Osamu and him would be skateboarding, so he didn't have to wear a suit or anything. But, he still wanted to look somewhat presentable. He rifled through the clothes in his closet, and stopped when he found his gray crewneck sweater. Then, he grabbed his black ripped jeans and some sneakers. He added some final touches, like a couple necklaces and some new earrings. Once he finished, he looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't look half bad! His only concern was what Osamu would think. The redhead was secretly worried that he would be called a poser or something. Oh well, he thought to himself. Chances were, Osamu would like his outfit. Hinata tried to dress similarly to the guys he saw at the skate park by his apartment. He remembered walking by them and thinking that they were cool. Unfortunately, he never summoned enough courage to talk to them.

Hinata heard a knock at his door, and jumped. 

"Hinata, it's Osamu," the person outside said. He was getting nervous! He ran to go open it, and gasped. 

Osamu looked... amazing. He was wearing an oversized black shirt, with a striped undershirt, and cuffed blue jeans. A black beanie crowned the top of his head, and he had black lines on his eyelids. It looked like.. eyeliner? Hinata wasn't all that great with makeup, but he vaguely remembered Natsu explaining it to him. 

"Wow"

"Wow"

The two looked at each other in shock, and then laughed. They really were on the same wavelength, Hinata thought to himself. "You look great," the redhead said, vocalizing his previous thoughts. 

"Ya don't look so bad yerself," the gray-haired man winked. Hinata felt a light blush coat his cheeks, and he walked past Osamu in embarrassment. "Do you have any idea what we're doing today?" Hinata asked, trying to change the subject. Osamu grinned, but he didn't say anything about it. 

"I'm thinking we're probably going to a skate park"

"Ooh!" Hinata exclaimed. "I'm not sure though," the other man continued, "I could be wrong".

The pair continued to make conversation as they made their way through the mansion. Their hands kept brushing, and a part of him wanted Osamu to hold his hand. The man must've been a mind reader, because he grabbed Hinata's hand and interlocked their fingers. The redhead smiled up at him, and Osamu looked back at him fondly. They walked past the common area, where the rest of the suitors were hanging out. Hinata saw quite a few dirty looks being directed at Osamu. It made Hinata feel a bit frustrated. They were only holding hands! Everyone was at each other's throats all the time, and it was getting old. He had only been here for a couple days, and yet he was already tired of the tension surrounding the group. 

Hinata must've stopped walking, because he felt Osamu tug on his hand gently. No longer distracted, the redhead followed Osamu outside. A black suv was waiting for them in the driveway. Osamu reached the car first, and opened the door for him. Hinata thanked him and jumped into the car. The other man slid in next to him and shut the door. 

The pair sat in anticipation as the driver started the engine. After a few minutes, however, it seemed like the driver wasn't going to tell them where they were going. So, Hinata just gazed out the window and made small talk with Osamu. He really liked talking with Osamu. It was just so easy to talk to him. Their conversations always went smoothly, and were rarely awkward. 

Some time later, the car stopped. Osamu and Hinata got out of the car excitedly, and looked around. It looked like they were at...

"A skate park! Hell yeah!" Osamu exclaimed. He smiled, and Hinata felt himself grinning too. The pair waved goodbye to the driver, and started making their way over to the park. The park was huge. It had tons of ramps and staircases... As they approached the entrance gate, they noticed a pile of what seemed to be skating equipment. To be honest, Hinata wasn't really sure what any of it was, so he followed Osamu's lead. Osamu must've noticed the apprehension on his face, because he remarked: "Don't worry, I'l help ya". 

"Yeah, I'm going to need it," Hinata chuckled. The other man grinned. "I did say I'd teach ya some more, and I'm a man of my word," he replied. Hinata suddenly felt the man's hands on his shoulders, and he let Osamu steer him towards one side of the park.

Suddenly, he felt Osamu rip his hand from his. He was about to start complaining when he noticed Osamu was already on his skateboard. Hinata watched in awe as the man skated around the park with ease. He looks so cool, he thought to himself.

"Alright, love?" 

Hinata must've been zoned out for too long, because Osamu was standing in front of him with a smirk on his face. The redhead felt his cheeks heat up, and covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. 

"Don't cover yer face," Osamu chided him, gently moving his hands from his face, "yer beautiful," Hinata felt his blush darken, and wished he could disappear off of the planet. It was just so embarrassing! 

"Come on!" he heard the man say. Hinata set his board down reluctantly, and stepped onto it. Almost immediately, he heard Osamu sighing. "What?" he asked. Did he do something wrong? Standing on the board wasn't that complicated, right? He held his breath as the gray-haired man adjusted his posture. When he was finished, he was standing in a completely different position. "That's better," Osamu nodded. "Now, what you're going to want to do is kick off with your back foot," he explained. Hinata nodded, and tried it. The next thing he knew, he was moving! "Woo!" he yelled, "Look I'm doing it!" . He looked behind him, and saw Osamu smiling at him. He made his way around the flat areas of the park, until he was close to Osamu. "Osamu look-" He was cut off by the board falling out from under him. The world spun around him, and he braced for the impact of hitting the ground.

He felt his back graze the ground before he felt Osamu's hands on his back. He helped him up, and Hinata chuckled nervously. "So..."

"Yer lucky I was there,"

"Yeah," Hinata replied, not sure of what else to say.

He continued to skate for a bit longer, while Osamu followed behind him at a close distance. Eventually, the redhead worked up the courage to try some tricks that Osamu showed him. He remembered the ollie from when they first met, so he didn't have any trouble with that one. 

The next thing he tried was a kickflip. From Osamu's explanation, he gathered that it was basically a more advanced ollie. He would have to jump and spin the board, then land on it. Hinata was apprehensive about the spin part. It looked quite hard. He watched Osamu do it multiple times, but he still didn't think he would be able to do it. Osamu, on the other hand, had complete faith in him. Hinata didn't want to let the other man down, and thus he attempted to do the kickflip.

He fell on his first try. 

Unfortunately, Osamu wasn't looking, so Hinata knew he would hit the ground. He put his arms out in an attempt to catch himself, but it didn't work. His elbows and wrists hit the ground, and he hissed. He had burns and scrapes all along his palms and forearms. His elbows were throbbing, and he was sure that he would wake up to a lot of bruises the next day. 

Hinata got up hastily, praying that Osamu didn't hear him fall. 

"You okay?" Shit. He had heard him fall.

"Yeah I'm good," Hinata replied. He saw the other raise his eyebrows, and he continued to try to reassure him: "Just took a bit of a tumble". 

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds..

Osamu was silent. Hinata looked up and, to his horror, the man was looking at his hands.

"I'm good, I promise-" he tried to reassure him, before Osamu grabbed his hands and turned them around. He winced as his scrapes were exposed. He looked up into Osamu's eyes- steel gray, like gunmetal- and saw compassion and concern. The pair stayed silent, and Hinata could feel the tension in the air.

"I'm sorry"

What? What was he apologizing for? It's not like Osamu did anything... It was his own fault that he fell!

"Why? You didn't even anything" Hinata remarked in confusion. 

"Yer hurt,"

"I'm fine"

He saw Osamu raise a questioning eyebrow, and watched as the man's hands gently squeezed his hands. Hinata grimaced. "Clearly not," the man said, with a cold tone to his voice. Hinata stayed quiet. He didn't really know what was happening, to be honest. He made it clear that he didn't blame Osamu, so why was he beating himself up about it?

Osamu took his hands in his own, and Hinata was reminded of how perfectly their hands slotted together. Like they were made to be together. He felt his arm being lifted, and he looked over in confusion. Osamu had brought up his hand up, and kissed it. 

"I'm sorry,"

"D-Don't be sorry," Hinata stuttered, trying not to think about the feeling of Osamu's warm lips on his hand. "It wasn't your fault," he continued.

"Still..." the man replied, still unsure. A couple seconds later, Osamu said, "Let's get you patched up," "But what about the skate park?" Hinata asked him. Yeah, his hands hurt, but he knew how much Osamu loved skating. "We'll just have to do this again sometime," the man winked. Hinata smiled at him, and yelped as he felt Osamu lift him up and carry him in his arms.

"Osamu, I can walk-"

"Nope" the man said, completely shutting him down. Hinata complained, but then realized that Osamu had no intentions of letting him go. He pretended not to acknowledge the warm feeling in his chest. Osamu's hands under his legs and on his back, his sturdy chest, his fast heartbeat...

When Osamu released him from his arms, Hinata had to hide his disappointment. He was genuinely considering getting Osamu to carry him again, but he didn't think the man would ever let him live it down. After all, he had just been complaining about it.

The two saw the car pull up to the entrance, and they walked over to meet it. Osamu held the door open for him, and Hinata was again reminded of how much of a gentleman he was. Hinata wasn't super concerned with all that chivalry stuff, but it did feel nice to be cared for. 

The car pulled out of the parking lot, and the redhead could feel Osamu's eyes on him. He looked over, and saw that Osamu still looked worried.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm not made of glass, you know," Hinata replied. 

"I know..." the man said. Hinata looked down at Osamu's lips for a brief second, and then back up, meeting his gaze. The two stared at each other for what felt like forever. Then, Osamu leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I still have to protect ya," he whispered.

\--------------------------------------

 **a** @shosho7 ~5 min ago

damn bro... I do have to hate you rn

3 comments | 4 retweets | 6 likes

**I love osamu** @sk8erboi ~ 4 min ago

period osamu go get your mans...

3 comments | 11 retweets | 16 likes

**em** @sunshineshoyo ~ 45 sec ago

osahina brain rot 

45 comments | 238 likes | 755 likes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yuh yuh yuh!!
> 
> I'm tryna push the osamu eyeliner agenda hehe
> 
> sidenote: I'm sorry if the skateboarding terms are inaccurate... I don't skate so I just had to look things up
> 
> anyways... next chapter should be coming in a couple weeks!
> 
> Follow me on twitter!


	9. telltale heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the moment y'all have been waiting for... more ushijima!!! 
> 
> fair warning: he is still a bit ooc, but hopefully after this chapter you'll get an idea as to why he is acting the way he is.
> 
> there's a lot to unpack this chapter, so buckle your seatbelts!

Growing up, Ushijima was alone. He had no friends. No partner. Nothing. He had never felt anything even close to love for anyone.

That is, until he saw Hinata Shoyo.

He remembered it like it was yesterday. He had been sitting on the couch in his apartment, watching TV. It was a commercial break, and he was about to get up when he heard someone say "Thank you all so much for the support!". He turned his head back around in curiosity, only to find a petite redhead adressing the viewers. He was cute. Wait- What? Did he really just think that? Ushijima felt all out of sorts. Who was this man? Why was he feeling like this?

He remembered looking up what he was feeling, and the search results all said one thing: attraction.

There was no way. Ushijima didn't _do_ attraction. He had resigned to spending the rest of his life by himself. But, when he saw Hinata, he felt all his previous thoughts go out the window. 

The redhead was so stunning that he had to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He pinched his arm hard. Nothing. Ushijima rubbed at his eyes and blinked. He had daydreamed before, but it had never felt so vivid. He glanced back up at the television, only to find a different commercial. He grabbed his phone and searched Hinata Shoyo on Google. He clicked on the first link that appeared, and his jaw dropped.

Hinata was the newest bachelor. Ushijima vaguely remembered his childhood friend Tendou ranting to him about that show. From what he remembered, a group of men competed to win over a girl's heart. Was Hinata Shoyo straight? That would certainly be a problem. The one person he felt a romantic connection to, and he probably didn't even like men..

Ushijima exited out of the current tab on his computer, and went to The Bachelor website. After some searching, he found an application form. He searched for some sort of clue, but there was nothing. He was about to close the laptop and brood for the rest of the day when a bold black line caught his eye. He squinted, and read:

**"Male applicants only,"**

That was a relief. Hinata liked men, at least. That meant he had a chance!

Wait.

Why was Ushijima even entertaining this idea? It wasn't like he was ever going to see the man. Unless he miraculously managed to get on the reality show, but even that wouldn't be ideal. He hated reality TV!

His resolve lasted for about an hour. After that, he found himself filling out the application form. Of course, he wasn't expecting to actually get on the show. While Hinata did serve as a new romantic awakening within him, he wasn't too keen on being on television. But, he applied anyways.

When he got an email a couple weeks later saying he was accepted to be on the show, he felt conflicted. He really didn't want to deal with all the drama that came with television shows like The Bachelor. But, on the other hand... this was his chance! He would meet Hinata! 

The next couple months he spent preparing for the experience. He Googled everything there was to know about romance, and when he had questions, he would ask his best friend Tendou. Tendou teased him for it, but he didn't care. He packed all his clothes... scheduled off from his work... he did everything he could to prepare. 

Before he knew it, he was walking out of the limousine to meet Hinata. He remembered looking at the man, heart racing and hands shaking. He looked so beautiful that night- messy red hair, freckles adorning his cheeks, slim figure hugged tight by a navy suit. And his smile... good lord. Ushijima swore he saw angels descending from the heavens. He introduced himself, but found that the redhead wasn't even looking at him. he vaguely remembered grabbing someone and tilting their head was a good way of refocusing their attention. So, he did just that. But, he didn't expect Hinata to flinch so hard.

Shit. He must've been holding him too hard. He rapidly let go and looked down at the other man, an apology stuck in his throat. However, nothing came out. So, before he could embarrass himself even more, he walked away.

When he encountered Hinata later that night, he was prepared with a full apology. He had expected to apologize, and start to get to know him. What he was not expecting, however, was for the other man to shrink and try to back away from him. 

Before he could even realize, he had snatched Hinata's wrist, preventing him from leaving. Hinata's eyes widened, and Ushijima realized his mistake. He had frightened him again! He was about to let go of the redhead when he saw someone wearing a mask approach and tap Hinata on the shoulder. Suddenly, he lost all rationality. The other man told him to get away, but who was he to tell him what to do? He snapped and mocked the newcomer, which did not go over very well. The man's eyes widened and Ushijima saw his fists clench. He had been preparing himself for a blow when Ukai had interrupted them. He went to sit down and buried his head in his hands. He hated to admit it, but that was a huge blow to his pride. Hinata clearly chose another man over him.

What was he doing wrong? Ushijima knew he had frightened the boy, but he had tried to apologize. Multiple times! So why was the redhead still so afraid of him?

He sighed as Ukai introduced himself and started talking. He tuned out what the host was saying, and instead turned to the picture in his pocket. He pulled it out, smiling softly. Hinata's sister really looked exactly like him- same red messy hair, same bright smile. They even had the same freckles! He glanced at the picture and held it up to look at Hinata. Sure enough, his sister was just the girl version of him. When he brought the picture down, he looked at it for one more second, before moving to put it in his pocket. Ushijima felt someone staring at him, and sure enough, when he glanced up....

Hinata was staring at the picture in his hands. He had a horrified expression on his face. It was gut wrenching- Ushijima hoped he would never see the other man like that ever again. He tried to smile reassuringly, but Hinata had already looked away. It was clear that the redhead was shaken, because his eyes kept darting around the room. 

Shit. Looking back, he realized what it would have looked like- like he was blackmailing him. But, that wasn't the case. He was simply looking at the picture. If anything, Ushijima thought the picture would make Hinata happy, and that was why he held it so that Hinata could see. Reminders of family always helped him when he was feeling stressed, and so Ushijima figured that it could help Hinata too.

It clearly wasn't perceived that way, and Ushijima felt guilt creep into him for the thousandth time that day. So, he just kept to himself and watched as suitors took Hinata out of the room and brought him back in. 

When Hinata announced that he would be giving him the first impression rose, Ushijima felt bile rise in his throat. He was sick to his stomach. He threatened Hinata, to the point where the redhead had felt as if he had no choice but to choose him. Ushijima sighed and walked up to face Hinata. He watched the other man pin the rose onto his lapel. He was debating refusing it, but he decided that that would be stupid. Instead, he plastered a fake smirk onto his face and returned to his seat. While he had probably appeared to be confident and self-assured, he was really an anxious mess. He had made a big mistake.

The rest of that day flew by in a blur. Ushijima decided to keep to himself. He had no idea how he was supposed to talk to Hinata after that incident. He watched as Hinata was lead out of the room, and then back in, and then back out...

Ushijima watched as everyone around him was chatting quietly. He never really was good at making friends. Some time later, Hinata came back into the room. Ushijima looked over. Why was everyone whispering? That was kind of rude. Did Hinata do something? No, he couldn't have. So why was everyone-

The olive-haired man found himself looking Hinata up and down, to make sure that nothing was wrong. He was just about to look away when a flash of color met his eyes. Squinting, he looked again. Hickeys. And quite a lot of them at that.

He clenched his fist, trying as hard as he could not to run over to whoever did that to Hinata and beat them up. He wasn't necessarily a rough and violent person, but after seeing the redhead's neck.... Ushijima watched in horror as a blonde man led Hinata out of the room. That was quite fast, he thought to himself. He clenched his fists a bit harder and tried his best to stay isolated.

Before he knew it, it was the next day. Apparently, Hinata had a date today. It wasn't with him. Ushijima tried to ignore the jealousy coiling up in his chest. That worked for about five seconds. Once he felt his hands start to shake, he elected to walk around and get some fresh air. He walked around the hallways for what felt like an eternity, until he came across the bathroom. Ushijima washed his hands, and grabbed the handkerchief he had in his pocket, drying his hands and folding it neatly.

Suddenly, he heard someone open the door behind him. He looked back, and saw the dark-haired man that always wore a mask. What was his name? Sakura? No.. Sakusa? Yeah, Sakusa sounded about right. Ushijima checked himself in the mirror briefly, before walking back into the hallway. If he had stayed longer, maybe he would've seen the awestruck look on Sakusa's face.

Ironically, the second he walked into the hallway, he saw Hinata. He looked around, but he didn't see Osamu. Oh well. Better for him. As Ushijima got closer, he saw Hinata's face was pink and flushed. He was breathing hard. He looked the redhead up and down, and felt his heart beat even faster. Hinata looked gorgeous, as always. 

"Hi Hinata" he greeted. He didn't want to frighten Hinata and make him run off again. "Hey Ushijima," Hinata smiled. He seemed to be in a good mood. 

"So, how was your date?" Ushijima muttered. He hated the thought of Hinata going on a date with another man, but it was inevitable. He wasn't the only suitor, unfortunately. No matter how much he wanted to keep Hinata to himself, it just wasn't realistic. "It was great!" Hinata exclaimed. "We went to a skate park!" he said enthusiastically. The next minutes were spent listening to Hinata talk about his date. The redhead tended to move his hands and gesture quite a lot. Ushijima thought it was cute. 

"That's cool,"

"Yup!" Hinata replied, sleeves falling down his arms as he gave him a thumbs-up. "Anyways, I wanted to apologize-"

"What happened?" Ushijima found himself interrupting. Hinata looked confused, and Ushijima gestured to his wrists.

"Oh nothing, I just fell," Hinata laughed. 

"Who did this?"

"No one!" Hinata replied quickly.

"It was Osamu, wasn't it?" Ushijima asked him. The redhead hesitated for a second, and that small pause was all that he needed.

"I fell!"

Ushijima ignored him and stalked off. He had to find Osamu and confront him. He needed answers.

\------------------------------------

Bokuto was just minding his business, trying to find a bathroom. He had been searching for thirty minutes, with no luck. The place was a damn maze! He continued walking, until he heard a quiet sniffling noise. Was someone crying? He followed the noise quietly, and found... 

Hinata?

He looked... miserable. "What's wrong?" Bokuto whispered, reaching out and rubbing his shoulder. Hinata looked up, and Bokuto felt pity course through him. It didn't look like he had cried, but the blank expression on his face was all Bokuto needed to know he wasn't in a good mood.

"Ushijima- he- he"

"Did he touch you? I swear I'll kill him-" 

"He's gonna confront Osamu,"

Wait, what? As far as Bokuto knew, the two had never even talked to each other. So why would Ushijima try to pick a fight?"

Hinata must've noticed his confusion because he pulled up his sleeves and showed him his wrists. Bokuto, still confused, looked at his wrists, only to find bruises.

"Okay...?" he remarked.

"He thinks Osamu gave me these,"

"Well, that's ridiculous," Bokuto blurted out. "I've hardly talked to Osamu, but I know he would never hurt you intentionally," he continued. 

"That's what I said," the redhead mumbled, "but he didn't listen,"

Bokuto left Hinata and walked to the room Ushijima went to. He found Ushijima towering over Osamu, and yet, Osamu didn't seem intimidated. Bokuto was curious to see what Osamu had to say, and so he waited with baited breath.

"What did you do to him?"

Bokuto heard Osamu respond with a "huh?" and he snorted. The pair looked at him, and he quickly stopped laughing. "You know what I'm talking about," the olive-haired man asserted. 

"No I don't" Osamu replied.

"The bruises"

"Huh?" Osamu looked at him in confusion, before recognition dawned upon him. It seemed that he didn't realize what Ushijima was insinuating, Bokuto thought to himself. To be completely honest, he didn't think that Osamu would intentionally hurt Hinata. He was a nice guy, from what he had heard. If anything, his brother was the more annoying one.. but still! "Really?" Osamu's shouts jerked him out of his thoughts. 

"Do you really think I would try to hurt Hinata?" the gray-haired man said. "You're delusional", he continued, "not to mention, you're the one who has been making him uncomfortable this entire time!"

"So don't even _think_ of accusing me of hurting him, because I would never do something like that. I may be an asshole sometimes, but I would NEVER, and I mean NEVER hurt someone I care about."

Ushijima had a relatively blank look on his face, but his eyes showed that he was surprised by Osamu's sudden outburst. 

"I suggest the next time you accuse people of hurting Hinata... you look in a mirror first," Osamu finished, before walking away. Bokuto watched in horror as Ushijima moved to follow Osamu. He grabbed the man's shoulder, and he turned around. Bokuto gulped, and looked around. Everyone else seemed to be pretending to ignore the situation. It looked like he was assigned with wrangling Ushijima duty.

"Stop," Bokuto tried to say, but Ushijima completely ignored him. He tried to grab the man's wrist, but he continued to walk away. Shit. He was about to run after him when he saw Ushijima pause.

"What are you doing?"

Bokuto peeked over Ushijima's shoulder, and found someone blocking his path. "In case you haven't noticed, we all care about Hinata here," the man said. "I suggest you sit down before you embarrass yourself any further," he continued. Ushijima walked away, and Bokuto found himself staring at the man who told him off. He was tall (about 6'0, he suspected) with bright bluish-green eyes and dark hair. He was quite pretty-

"Are you gonna tell me your name or just stare at me?" the man asked.

"I'm Bokuto!" Bokuto replied enthusiastically. He looked back at the dark-haired man and smiled reassuringly, waiting for him to introduce himself. Soon Bokuto found himself blurting out:

"You gonna tell me _your_ name or just stare at me?"

"Akaashi" the man smiled softly. Oh wow, that was beautiful. Unfortunately, Akaashi had walked away before Bokuto could reply. Well, at least he got to introduce himself. From what he heard, Akaashi wasn't much of a talker anyways. With any luck, he'll get to know him better. Bokuto sat down on the couch and mulled over their recent encounter.

\--------------------------------

**brit** @britbrit04~ 20 min ago

#bokuaka is trending I LOVE IT HERE

350 comments | 1.2k retweets | 2.6k likes

**ang** @roadworkahead ~19 min ago

_in response to @britbrit04_

the ship has SAILED

3 comments | 24 retweets | 89 likes

\---------------------------------

Atsumu felt like his eyeballs would pop out of their sockets. He watched in horror as Ushijima confronted Osamu. Atsumu wasn't close enough to hear the conversation, but whatever Osamu said had to be harsh. Heck yeah 'Samu, he thought to himself. He flashed a thumbs-up to his brother, who was storming out of the room. Osamu briefly looked back at him, and smirked in return. That bastard. Atsumu chuckled. He turned to find Ushijima, only to realize he wasn't there. He must've followed Samu...

"I'll kill him," Atsumu muttered. He squared his shoulders, and snuck up behind Ushijima. He brought his arm back, and was about to strike when he felt someone hold him back. Atsumu looked behind him, ready to scold the person for holding him back, only for it to be... 

Kageyama?

Ever since the incident where he had interrupted Kageyama, the two of them had been skirting around each other. Atsumu hated to admit it, but he was jealous. He was jealous of Kageyama. Tobio Kageyama was a pro volleyball player, like himself. While Atsumu worked his ass off to get a spot on a professional team, Kageyama came out of universities with multiple professional offers. He was only a year older than him, but it still felt like the younger was more successful than him. Not to mention, Kageyama was very good-looking. It pained him to admit, but it was true. His dark hair framed bright blue eyes and a confident smirk. It was as if all of Atsumu's petty insecurities about himself, manifested into a single person: Tobio Kageyama. He hated it. 

"He's not worth it," Kageyama's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. "If you fight him, you'll get eliminated,"

"But he-" Atsumu tried to argue, only for Kageyama to cut him off.

"Do you want to lose your chance with Hinata?"

Wait... what? Why would Kageyama say something like that? If anything, Atsumu losing his chance with Hinata would be beneficial to him.

"Why do you care?"

"I-I don't care," he thought he heard Kageyama stutter. "I just.. you're..."

"Hm?" Atsumu asked. He honestly had no idea what the dark-haired man said.

"H-Hinata.. Ugh,"

"Just spit it out already" Atsumu groaned, losing the little patience he had left.

"Hinata cares about you," Kageyama muttered.

Wait... was he hearing things? There was no way that was what Kageyama actually said. He looked over at Kageyama, expecting to get laughed at, but the other's face was serious. 

"iknewishouldn'thavesaidanything" Kageyama mumbled quickly under his breath. The man moved to walk away, but Atsumu tapped him on the shoulder. "T-Thanks, Tobio," he managed to stutter. 

"Don't call me that," the dark-haired man grumbled before leaving the room.

Ah yes, Atsumu thought to himself. Everything was back to normal. 

\---------------------------------

Ushijima was slapping himself mentally. That was quite easily the stupidest thing he had ever done. He had just been repairing his relationship with Hinata, before he managed to fuck it up again. 

Wait. Earlier Ushijima had been so wrapped up in jealousy and anger, that he hadn't even noticed Hinata start to apologize. Damn. He _really_ ruined his chance. The rest of the night, he sat in a secluded room. He didn't want to face anyone, especially Hinata. 

"Wakatoshi," he heard someone say. He awoke from his daze, and met the eyes of Sakusa Kiyoomi.

"Yes?"

"The rose ceremony's gonna start soon," Sakusa informed him. The man visibly hesitated, before walking into the room and leaning against the wall.

The two sat in silence for a while. Ushijima could feel Sakusa's calculating gaze on him. He stared straight forward, wishing he could sink into the ground and disappear.

Sakusa suddenly broke the silence, "So... care to explain?"

"Explain what?"

"Everything,"

"No," he refused. "Why? It's not like I'll tell anyone," the dark-haired man persisted.

Ushijima knew Sakusa was too stubborn to let it go, so he begrudgingly explained his situation. He talked about his home life, his upbringing, his struggle to make friends, his insecurities, his sexuality... all of it. Sakusa listened silently the entire time, nodding his head when appropriate.

"Maybe this just isn't the right time for you," Sakusa said, after a while. "I think you need to figure yourself out first, before you try to jump into a relationship,". Ushijima hated to say it, but Sakusa was right. He shouldn't have worried about finding a partner when he still had to find himself. It wasn't fair to Hinata, and it wasn't fair to himself either. Hinata deserved someone better.

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Sakusa asked him.

"Yes," Ushijima replied, "thank you Sakusa," he said. He reached his arms out, and embraced the other man. He felt Sakusa stiffen, and so he went to let go, only for the dark-haired man to pull him back in. They stood in each other's embrace for a long time. Ushijima closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He knew exactly what he had to do. He was ready to pull away when he felt something wet on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Sakusa sobbing quietly. Ushijima tried to pull away to give him some room, but the dark-haired man gripped the back of his shirt and didn't let go.

"What-"

He felt Sakusa bury his head into his shoulder, and Ushijima hesitated before bringing his hand up to cradle his head. He wasn't sure why the man was crying, but he knew he had to comfort him. There was a small part of him that wanted to hold Sakusa close and never let go. 

Some time later, and the two were still in each other's arms. Sakusa had stopped crying, and was silent against his shoulder. 

"Sakusa, I-"

"Just go," Sakusa whispered. Ushijima must've shown his worry on his face, because Sakusa said "I'll be okay,". He didn't really believe that... but it was clear that Sakusa needed some alone time. So, Ushijima walked away from the dark-haired man, and out of the room. He would talk to Ukai and leave the show. He was ready to move on.

The next couple hours were filled with paperwork and confidentiality agreements, but Ushijima somehow pushed through. Eventually, he was released and told to leave the mansion. He gathered his stuff and walked through the hallway one last time, reflecting. Overall, it had been an an eye-opening experience. Certainly not his proudest moment, but it was a learning experience. He learned more about himself than he ever would have. He continued to walk down the main hallway, towards the front entrance. 

He was about to step outside when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around, and saw Hinata. The redhead was panting, clearly having ran to catch him before he left. Ushijima was grateful that Hinata even wanted to say goodbye to him.

"Goodbye, Ushijima,"

"Goodbye, Hinata,"

Ushijima walked away, without looking back. He was starting a new chapter of his life. The journey of self discovery would be long and painful, but he was ready. 

He walked up to the limo in the driveway and hopped in the backseat. Suddenly, Ushijima felt tears sliding down his cheeks. He rubbed his eyes and closed them, willing himself to stop crying.

He wasn't sure who he was crying for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> an action-packed chapter, if I do say myself ;)
> 
> sorry for all the changes in pov, I just want all the characters to have an influence on the story yk?
> 
> did y'all like the handkerchief part? I try to incorporate moments from the manga whenever I can.
> 
> ushijima redemption arc????? you'll have to see!
> 
> Follow me on twitter!


	10. mr. loverman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakusa turned and walked away. He knew he was supposed to be feeling relieved, but he felt heartbroken. He felt guilty that he betrayed Hinata's trust. But ultimately, the spark he felt when he first met Hinata had went out. Sakusa just didn't feel how he used to. The flame pattered out, and darkness began to spread. 
> 
> He loved Hinata, he really did. He just wasn't the right person. So, he'd just have to keep searching. Or maybe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone. hope y'all are staying safe and healthy.
> 
> I'd like to apologize for anyone who has been waiting for me to update this work. my life has been a whirlwind recently. my suite mate got covid a couple weeks ago, so I went home to quarantine. I've just been laying around at home. I've been struggling with depression recently, and I find myself losing motivation to write. but, I'm trying to continue for anyone who likes this story.
> 
> ideally, I do not want to abandon this work. chances are my updates will be sporadic though, so bear with me. 
> 
> now that we got that out of the way... here's chapter 10. I personally think this chapter is a bit lackluster, but I wanted to at least give y'all something. hopefully, now that this chapter is posted, I will have more inspiration.
> 
> PS: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 7.7K HITS???? I'M IN AWE.

Sakusa was conflicted. 

He had no idea what had possessed him to look for Ushijima before the rose ceremony. What Sakusa had intended to be some sort of intervention turned into him crying into Ushijima's shoulder, which he hadn't meant to do. Sakusa hated crying. On the rare occasions that he actually cried, he preferred to be alone. So why did he feel safe enough with Ushijima, of all people? The man was somewhat of an enigma, and he had hardly even held a conversation with the man before, let alone form a strong enough bond to which he was comfortable sharing his own emotions. 

The day Sakusa showed his emotions was the day he died. Or... so he thought.

Ushijima Wakatoshi spurred something in him. 

It all started with the handkerchief.

Long fingers swiftly folding in the cloth. Sakusa was ashamed to admit he was probably drooling.

But, for good reason! Unlike the rest of these plebeians, Ushijima actually cared about hygiene. And if that wasn't attractive, Sakusa wasn't sure what was. 

And the second he saw Ushijima leave he felt.. different. He found himself just going through the motions. He woke up, got dressed, brushed his teeth. Went to the common area, had breakfast. Sat around for a bit, then had lunch. Eventually had dinner. At some points throughout the day he would talk to Hinata.

But even talking to Hinata felt strange. Their conversations had become a lot more muted, and seemed to be less significant. Talks of the future and their deepest thoughts and secrets turned into "How's the weather?". The even stranger part was that he didn't even care.

The next morning, Sakusa woke up and went through his routine. He took a shower, washed his face, brushed his teeth- the usual. He ate breakfast, and waited around in the common room. At that point, he didn't even try to talk to Hinata. To be perfectly honest, he didn't want to. Sakusa sat on one of the leather couches, lost in thought. What should he do? He wasn't sure what he _could_ do.

So when Hinata confronted him in the hallway, he felt as if his mouth was glued shut. He didn't know what to say, what to do... Hinata had a hurt expression on his face, and Sakusa felt guilty that he was the one causing it.

He so desperately wanted to say "It's not you" but the words were caught in his throat. No way would he say something so cliché. 

He looked into Hinata's eyes; really looked.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore,"

Hinata's smile vanished.

"Was this all a game to you?"

Sakusa's heart dropped.

"Was I just a game to you?"

"No I-"

"Why are you even here??"

"..."

"Do you know how disrespectful it is? to walk out on me like this? With no warning whatsoever? The last time we talked, you had your tongue in my mouth!"

Damn. 

"You don't understand.. I have to do this," Sakusa tried to rationalize. "You're the same as Ushijima" Hinata whispered to himself. Sakusa's eyes widened when he heard Ushijima's name mentioned. Evidently, the redhead had picked up on Sakusa's stress, because he breathed: "You've got to be kidding me". 

"What?" Sakusa asked, feigning confusion. The last thing he wanted was for Hinata to find out about his and Ushijima's encounter a couple days ago. But clearly, from the look on Hinata's face, he wasn't buying the excuse. To be honest, Sakusa wouldn't either. 

"What kind of sick joke is this?" Hinata yelled to the sky. "Really?" the redhead continued, tears coming down like waterfalls. Sakusa felt tears streaming down his own face. "Don't do that. Stop. Stop putting me in this position," Hinata said as Sakusa continued.

"Hinata I-"

"I tried so hard." Hinata cut him off. "I tried so hard to be what you needed." Sakusa felt his breath stutter as he continued to cry. He hadn't cried this hard in a long time. "And I still wasn't enough" the redhead whispered, face puffy and red from crying. Sakusa jumped forward in a desperate attempt to close the ***endless*** gap between them, but Hinata turned around. 

"Just go,"

Sakusa continued to stand there. No way was he going to-

"Leave," Hinata's voice raised to a yell. "Leave and never come back!"

Sakusa turned and walked away. He knew he was supposed to be feeling relieved, but he felt heartbroken. He felt guilty that he betrayed Hinata's trust. However, the spark he felt when he first met Hinata had went out. Sakusa just didn't feel how he used to. The flame pattered out, and darkness began to spread. 

He loved Hinata, he really did. He just wasn't the right person. So, he'd just have to keep searching. Or maybe...

A voice jarred him out of his thoughts. "You getting in?" the person asked impatiently. Sakusa looked up and realized that he was standing in front of the limousine. He nodded quickly and limbered into the back seat. The driver sighed, muttering something about "lovesick men and their hormones", whatever that meant. 

God, when had he become such a romantic? It was kind of disgusting. He sat in the limo, watching bright neon lights flicker around his eyes as the car sped through the city streets.

\---------------------

Bright light. A silhouette of a person, their back facing him. The person whipped around, and Hinata saw.. Sakusa? The pair met eyes, and Hinata watched as the man turned and walked away. The redhead ran after him, chasing the light- chasing Sakusa. He reached his hand out in a last stitch effort to grab Sakusa, and he felt his hands grasping the smooth material of what must've been Sakusa's jacket. 

"Why'd you leave?" Hinata felt himself yelling at the man. The dark-haired man smirked, and shoved him. "You really thought I would like you? You're _nothing_ to me."

Hinata gasped, opening his eyes. He looked around to find Sakusa, but all he saw was the walls of his far too expensive bedroom. Must've been a dream, he tried to convince himself. But... his dreams were never that vivid. Continuing to scan the room, he saw that the bathroom light was on. While he didn't necessarily want to get up and ready for the day, he needed a way to distract himself from what had transpired the previous day.

His bathroom was.. well... "extra", as his sister liked to say. It was ginormous, with a walk-in shower and a hot tub. There was a double vanity- he gagged at the irony- and a sauna tucked into the corner of the room. All in all, the bathroom was gorgeous, but it felt far too extravagant for a simple person like him. He pondered this as he took his clothes off and got into the shower. {{{Running his hands through his soapy hair, he couldn't help but think of everything that had happened the past week}}} Ushijima left. He was gone. Hinata was incredibly relieved. The man was.. well... scary. He may have had good intentions, but the way he acted made the redhead incredibly uncomfortable. Then there was Sakusa. Hinata would've never expected _Sakusa_ of all people to flake out on him. He hadn't even apologized, Hinata pondered. The dark-haired man left Hinata's life as quickly as he had joined it.

Not only had Sakusa left without an apology, but he also left without an explanation. Hinata had to admit, he was screaming at him for most of the conversation. But still. It wasn't that hard to be a decent person.

But the icing on the misery cake was when he mentioned Ushijima. 

Contrary to popular belief, Hinata was very perceptive. He could read people quite well, and the brief twitch Sakusa displayed after hearing Ushijima's name was all Hinata needed as proof- proof that the two of them had something going on. Whether they were "just friends" (highly unlikely), or yearning for something more, Hinata wasn't sure. 

The water suddenly turned cold, making him shriek. Had he really been in the shower that long? He hurriedly shut the water off and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist. He threw some clothes on and began walking to the common room.

Now that Sakusa left, there was no need for a rose ceremony that night. Hinata should've been happy that he wouldn't have to eliminate someone, but Sakusa leaving hurt him far more than he would admit. It wasn't like the redhead eliminated him. Sakusa _willingly_ left. And damn, it hurt like a bitch. There was still a part of him, albeit small, that had envisioned/ wanted a future with Sakusa / wanted to get to know Sakusa better. But he left, as if Hinata wasn't a good enough reason for him to stay.

All his life, Hinata had been told he wasn't good enough. Too short, too loud, too weak. Not talented enough, not smart enough... But somehow, this time hurt the most. 

His eyes started burning. Why did he do this? Why was he here? He came here to find love, and yet all he was finding was heartbreak.

It just wasn't fair, he thought to himself. 

Hinata continued walking, and heard someone around the corner. He saw a flicker of dark spiky hair and he ran; he ran and leapt into their arms. The person let out a surprised "oof" before looking down in shock.

"Hinata?"

Hinata didn't say anything. 

"You alright?" Iwaizumi asked, carding his fingers through his hair gently. 

What could he even say? "Am I not good enough?" he mused. Iwaizumi's hand suddenly came down to cup his face, and Hinata realized that he must've spoken his thoughts out loud. Ordinarily he would've been incredibly embarrassed, but he was too miserable to care.

"You are good enough" Iwaizumi replied aggressively. "You are worth it. You are worth every effort in this world... and everyone here knows that." he continued, rubbing his thumb along his cheekbones. Hinata didn't reply, instead he just burrowed himself further into the man's chest.

"Don't you ever let me see you crying over that dickwad, ever again." Hinata snorted, amidst all the tears running down his face. Iwaizumi chuckled at that. "Get it all out now," the man continued, "because after this, you're not crying 'bout him". Hinata nodded, and wiped at his eyes hesitantly.

Sitting there, in Iwaizumi's arms, he felt safe. The redhead turned and looked up at the dark-haired man, studying his face. Warm brown eyes peered back down at him, filled with love, compassion, and warmth. Hinata wrapped his hands loosely around Iwaizumi's neck, and tugged him down to kiss him.

He heard a little gasp and smiled against Iwaizumi's mouth, happy to get that reaction out of him.

The two broke apart, and Hinata felt incredibly lightheaded. The dark-haired man pulled him close, and kissed his forehead. Hinata giggled quietly, before wrapping his arms around the man's waist. For whatever reason, the redhead couldn't stop smiling. Possessed by a sudden urge to show his appreciation, Hinata found himself whispering:

"I love you,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hinata said the l word :0
> 
> im happy with how this story is going so far... I hope that, now that ushijima is out of the picture, hinata will be more of the focus of the story.
> 
> with any luck, I'll update within a few weeks.
> 
> see y'all then.
> 
> Follow me on twitter! and [tumblr!](https://tumblr.com/blog/emerqlds)


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